Gloria Dei est in Tenebris
by Teninshigen
Summary: When Professor Ozpin sent Qrow Branwen into the out-lands, searching for a mysterious creature which had been decimating Grimm numbers, Vale's darkest Huntsman never expected to find a young man wandering Remnant's loneliest paths. And he certainly didn't expect to find potentially the strongest Huntsman in generations...even if he is a little bit broken. (DISCONTINUED)
1. I - On Dark Wings

**AN: As of the 22nd of July 2017, I've discontinued this story in order to use the same premise for a rewrite named Dei Gloria est in Corde. I've left this story up out of popular demand, but note that it will NOT be continued. That said, apparently some people still enjoy re-reading it, so...have at it.**

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 **AN:** **26.11.2016 - Major edits of several parts of the chapter which I felt could have been done better, including several things which may have an impact on later parts of the story.**

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The world of Remnant is one of dichotomies.

On one hand, there are the great kingdoms; Vale, Mistral, Atlas and Vacuo, where humanity have built their homes and stand strong against all threats. On the other hand there are the out-lands, those places where the creatures of Grimm hold dominion.

The two are clearly defined, the kingdoms long having drawn lines in the sand and declared firmly 'No More'. So clear is the difference in fact, that there are only two ways for a human to not be aware of it. The first is to become a Huntsman or Huntress; one of those individuals whose strength and skill so exceeds all others that the out-lands are survivable.

The other is to never know of a world outside the land in which you are raised.

Qrow Branwen was the former. A Huntsman of unparalleled skill, and equally unparalleled views. He spent less time in the kingdoms than he did in the out-lands, his days devoted to protecting the kingdoms before they were even threatened. He was very literally the best at what he did.

That meant that impressing or surprising him was a feat reserved for the truly remarkable. He hadn't experienced such a feeling in almost a decade, since the news of Summer Rose's death had reached him.

Then again, he hadn't experienced much in the way of feelings after that. The only highlight of the past ten years had been teaching his niece the style he himself used. Ruby Rose was a special one, to have managed to stir something in such a broken excuse for a heart. Certainly he knew that she would go on to greater things – she would be just as much an icon as her mother had been, if not more.

Qrow's work, however, had taken him away from her soon enough – and it had lead him here. To hunting the creature which was tearing through the hordes of Grimm which claimed this part of Remnant as their own, reducing the population by more than ten percent in two months. Entirely on its own.

Ozpin had first sent him the news at the same time the creature had appeared, knowing that the veteran huntsman was spinning his wheels in the search for something that could challenge him. Since then, Qrow had been following its trail, as the (metaphorical) Grimm body count grew higher and higher.

Today, he had found it. He had arrived in time to witness a Goliath's death, the ancient creature toppling with a crash as its form began to vanish. Much of that form had been gone to begin with, however – great chunks of its frame obliterated by the small figure which now stood to the side of its kill.

It was humanoid, Qrow could tell that from here. In fact, judging by the colours his vision could discern, it might well _be_ a human. Of course, the wings didn't uphold that particular theory.

They stretched out behind the figure, as dark as the Grimm's skin and difficult to focus on. Their form seemed to flicker and waver, like smoke in the wind. That comparison was surprisingly apt, as they simply vanished moments later – gone into the ether as if they had never been. That completely revealed the figure to whom they had belonged, and Qrow slowly raised his binoculars to his eyes.

It was when his eyes fell upon the figure that he felt a twinge of shock run through him.

It was a human. A teen at that; certainly not yet a full adult. Fair skin, crimson hair which waved slightly in the wind. A mask covered much of their face, bone-white like a Grimm mask but without the red markings. It reminded him of a theatre production he'd seen in Mistral, once - it ran from the hairline to the chin, seemingly melding to the skull around the edges. There was a nose, two holes for eyes, and a mouth - but the eye-holes were naught but black pits, and the mouth was curved into an eternal, mocking smile.

It almost made him want to shiver.

Ignoring the impulse, Qrow stood, returning his binoculars to the pack which he carried. His weapon in hand, he advanced across the field to the motionless teen. As he took his first step, they spun to face him. He just kept on walking, eyes locked on the tar-black pits in the teen's face. Apart from its sudden motion, it didn't move – it simply faced him.

He examined the figure more closely, his eyesight easily picking out details, even across the distance. The contours of the body told him the figure was male; their absolute stillness told him they were in complete control of their body. The way their hands didn't drift towards any part of its body or clothing told him that they didn't carry a weapon - as if they'd need one, with what he'd seen so far.

It took a minute to cover the distance between them, with Qrow stopping at the distance he felt most comfortable with for duelling. He stared in silence at the mask before him, and the mask stared back, seeming to mock him just by dint of its existence, a sarcastic remark at everything which met its gaze. A palpable tension rose, as even sound itself seemed to shrink back before the intensity of the wills clashing.

A wind played around their feet, one pair of fashionable black dress shoes and one pair of boots which had obviously seen more of the world than most adults. Qrow's darkened crimson cloak lifted slightly away from his dress shirt, which was done in shades of grey. The young man's long black coat, many times torn and just as many times repaired, shifted only minutely, the heavier material refusing to meet the wind's demands.

The red-haired young man spoke first. His voice was cracked and barely more than a whisper, as if it had gone without use for a long time. "Who...?" The tension didn't vanish, but its intensity fell several levels, and Qrow had won the first round.

"A Huntsman. You?" If the statement of his profession meant anything to the masked man, it didn't show.

The teen's head tilted several degrees, as if he was listening to someone - or, perhaps, simply thinking. It took several seconds for them to reply, and once again Qrow felt the urge to shiver - the disconnect between the eternal smile and words emanating from the mask was just plain creepy. "...Lost."

Well, that wasn't surprising. The people who would roam this part of the world were few and far between; someone of the age Qrow was currently assigning this figure deliberately coming here was about as likely as Qrow ever going to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Still, an answer was progress. "Okay, so you're lost. Where were you going?"

Another several seconds' silence, during which time Qrow made an effort to keep his body language largely neutral. That mask was playing games with his sanity that he'd thought himself long since inured against. "...Help."

...Well, that was a great help.

Repressing the urge to sigh, Qrow pressed on. "Going for help. For yourself?" A shake of the head. "For someone else?" A nod. "Friends? Family? Village?" The figure nodded to the final suggestion, and Qrow frowned. That didn't make sense.

"There are no villages within a hundred miles." The figure's fists clenched abruptly, and Qrow's grip tightened on his weapon as he fell into his combat stance, suddenly on full alert. Tense moments passed, before the mask broke eye contact with him, facing the ground. A tiny, muffled sound came from beneath it - what a somewhat disbelieving Qrow recognised as a sniff.

"...Was. Gone."

...Oh. _Oh_. That was...that suddenly shifted the playing field. Qrow _knew_ the out-lands; knew them like no one else, or this part at least. He knew every lake, every cave, every mountain and valley; especially, he knew where every settlement was located, be it a twenty-man permanent camp or one of the self-sufficient towns that held out against all odds.

And when one of those disappeared, he _always_ knew about it. It happened fairly often; it was to be expected, in this world of theirs. But when a Collapse _did_ occur, it was almost always to the last man, woman and child. With the power level this teen displayed, it wasn't inconceivable that he would have made it out. But surely he would have taken people with him, or have gone with a group? Family of some kind, friends? Qrow assumed the kid had been trained, and if he had then he likely would have tried to save at least _someone_.

Questions led to answers, answers led to more questions. That was the chain of investigation, and Qrow knew he had to keep going hand over hand until he reached the top. Alright, next question... "How long have you been out here?"

That should help narrow it down, at the very least.

"...Don't know. Time...tricky. Years..."

Years? _Years?_ This kid - and Qrow was sure now, being close enough to examine his body shape beneath the coat and analyse his voice and manner of speech through the conversation, that this _was_ a kid - sounded like he'd barely be old enough to shave. How long could he possibly have been out here?

The Huntsman sorted through his memories of Collapses in the area, going back at least two years. Honestly, there hadn't been many; south of Vale led directly to the ocean, and going south-west brought travellers to a point almost equidistant from Vacuo, where a _lot_ of old, powerful Grimm made their homes. As a result, most people set up shop to the north, or directly east of the main kingdom.

But...hadn't there been one in particular that had stuck with him? Ozpin had mobilised damn near Vale's entire resting force of Huntsmen in a desperate response to a distress call, nearly seven years ago - they'd headed due south, almost all the way to the coast, but the entire place had been wiped out before aid could be rendered.

It was impossible. The kid would have been a _literal_ kid at the time, probably not even in his teens. For him to pull through, to live seven years out here?

Just considering the possibility kicked Qrow's imagination into spitting out an image of Yang or, God forbid, _Ruby_ in the same shoes.

And that, of course, brought him around to memories of a desperate sprint through the woods that had very nearly ended in the loss of two of the only things he yet held dear in the world.

He knew the moment his self-control broke, because he sheathed his blade across the small of his back almost without thinking about it. "Kid," he began, voice noticeably softer now. "Tell me - did you come from Arc?"

A sudden flinch from the figure was really all the answer he needed...but the tentative nod which followed was nice too. "...Arc," the teen murmured, sounding pulled between happiness and sorrow as he formed the word. "Home."

Well...well, _shit_. Qrow stepped forward, and gently rested a hand on the figure's shoulder. They stood almost level; Qrow had maybe two inches on the teen, and found himself momentarily wishing it wasn't the case - looking down into the twin circles of absolutely nothing was...disorienting.

Still, he didn't let that stop him from dragging the kid into a one-armed hug. The same kind he'd used to give Taiyang, the same kind he had shared with Raven, and with his father before her. It wasn't the full-hearted thing he gave his mother, Ruby, Yang, or that he'd once given Summer. It was more an acceptance of an equal than it was a declaration of protection, or an offer of comfort.

Judging by the quiet sobs, and the shaking of the figure's shoulders, they didn't mind.

 _'Damn...'_ He thought to himself. _'This is the kind of thing Summer always handled.'_ Qrow almost winced as the simple thought of her name summoned images of a white cloak, and a smile that was equal parts joyous, loving and mischievous. Stark's pixie, they'd called her - or Puck, or Titania, or a myriad other titles of the same ilk.

One thing was for sure - just like the fae, Summer Rose had always loved children. And they loved her, too.

Qrow was...an entirely different person. But he liked to think he could at least do this much. For the kid...and for her.

The two stood like that for at least half an hour, the sun casting lengthening shadows. When the crying finally stopped, Qrow stepped back to regard his new charge. And the kid _would_ be his charge; the Huntsman didn't have much in the world to call his own anymore, and he'd long since given up on finding anyone to settle down with. On the other hand, here was someone who needed to get back to the world, and who would likely need someone to look after him for a while.

The little part of his mind, the voice which he had drowned in alcohol and blood after his family of four became a black hole of one, was back - and all of a sudden, Qrow Branwen found himself wanting some company for a while. "Do you have a name, kid?"

"...Jaune." Came the reply, voice somewhat impaired by emotion now, but understandable at least.

"Alright then. Jaune, can you take off that mask so I can take a proper look at you?" This was pushing it a bit...but if he was going to build up some kind of trust with the ki - _Jaune_ , then proper eye contact was the first step.

Plus, he really couldn't wait to see the last of that damn smile.

Jaune went entirely still, after a brief surge of movement - idly, Qrow realised that every muscle in the boy's body had just gone to full power, but he wasn't moving in the slightest. That was...some _incredible_ bodily awareness, the kind of thing which usually came about during the final year of a Combat Academy's training time, when biofeedback became second nature - and rightly so, since it was a highly necessary tool in a Huntsman's life.

The silence and the rigidity remained unchanged for a minute, Qrow matching his stillness perfectly, though he left his own body relaxed. Then, slowly, hands which were criss-crossed with faint silvery lines reached upwards, placing themselves on either side of the mask, just below the temples. Then, they started to pull away, and there was a sound somewhere between a crack and a bell ringing. The Huntsman wasn't entirely sure how that was possible, but it was the closest sound to what he'd heard.

Even as the mask came away, there was a _crack_ , and it shattered. The fragments quickly became dust, and blew away in the wind, which raised several more questions for a later date. Still, Qrow was more involved with studying Jaune's face. The first thing he noticed was that, much to his relief, the eyes of the mask were _not_ the eyes of the young man beneath it. Instead, Jaune's eyes were a cobalt blue, slightly red from crying. In yet another question-raising event, Qrow watched as the bloody red pigment seemed to drain from the tips of Jaune's hair to the root, leaving behind a golden blond.

Still, it _did_ fit - with the way the lines of the young man's face stood out, he looked...regal. Almost aristocratic. Excepting, of course, the reddened eyes, tear-stained cheeks, clothing and scars.

And there were _scars_. Oddly enough, none extended beyond where the mask would have joined his face...but there were several trailing up his neck, and his hands were seemingly made of nothing else.

Again, Qrow was reminded just how much of a miracle it was for Jaune to have lived this long. Then, he got his head in gear.

He reached out a hand again, and eyes which seemed surprisingly young for having seen so much regarded it for a moment before tentatively reaching out and taking it. "It's good to meet you, Jaune. My name's Qrow."

The blond's head tilted sideways a bit, as he pursed his lips. "...Qrow." He said finally, forming the word with almost exaggerated care.

The Huntsman nodded, then released Jaune's hand and turned to gesture back the way he'd come. "I'm headed home, at the moment..." He told the blond. "I could use some company, if you don't mind keeping a dusty old crow from getting lonely?"

If the way Jaune abruptly latched onto him again in another hug was any indicator, he didn't mind at all.

* * *

Several hours later, night had fallen, and two dark figures moved beneath the light of a shattered moon, their forms flowing across the ground like oil. They covered miles like others covered centimetres, with no regard for distance or speed. They simply moved, and the world turned around them.

Hours and hours they had run, unfaltering in their path. Grimm attempted to impede their journey: King Taijitu rose from the grass, Ursai and Beowolves leapt from beneath the boughs of trees as Nevermores dived from the branches, and Boarbatusks rolled out from their mud pits. Herds of Prongs occasionally caught wind of the duo, trying to overwhelm them with their sharpened antlers facing forward in a stampede of powerful hooves and heaving flanks. Likewise the Nemeans, who stalked in groups of one or two so-called 'males' and several other 'females', separated only by dint of their resemblance of lions.

There had even been a solitary Goliath, which had engaged the two in an odd display of aggressiveness for one of its kind.

Not once did the two slow, hesitate or break step. Every rush was sidestepped, vaulted or avoided via a slide. Every dive was avoided with a roll, and twisting acrobatics maneuvered bodies which stretched the definition of 'human' away from spikes, jaws, claws and beaks.

Nothing touched them...but the same could not be said for their opposition.

Everything they passed, died. Without much fuss, and without much effort, it seemed. They just...stopped being in one piece after the figures had passed. Heads rolled, antlers detached from cloven skulls, limbs of all descriptions came loose seemingly of their own volition. The cuts were almost a work of art.

Perhaps not the kind which went in galleries...but Qrow couldn't even remember the last time he'd stepped into a gallery, a museum or really anything of the kind, so it was a moot point in any case.

The run continued until the sun began to rise, whereupon the duo sought shelter in a nearby cave. It had contained a Deathstalker when they arrived. Several seconds later, it was entirely Grimm-free, and the two somewhat aching humans sprawled out on the floor.

Watching the light dawn, Qrow felt the burn in his muscles. He hadn't run like this for years, and it was beginning to wear on him. ' _If Taiyang could see me now...actually, I'd rather not consider that.'_ The dark Huntsman felt sure that he and Jaune had covered half the distance back to Vale, and that they would reach the walls sometime during the following night. He said as much, and the blond teen simply nodded. He was in more or less the same state as Qrow, which was impressive in and of itself; the kid's physical condition was at least on par with that of a trained Huntsman, perhaps even more so considering that Qrow surpassed most of his supposed 'peers' by a fairly wide margin.

The two lay there for a moment, and the older Huntsman wondered if Jaune was enjoying the difference between a companionable silence and an enforced silence. He certainly was. He didn't get chances like this often, and it brought to mind the phrase which Summer had managed to get stuck in his head after one particularly self-destructive suicide mission he'd barely made it back from, during the quietly disappointed dressing-down he'd received in the hospital - and he absolutely _hated_ those, because he'd never developed a resistance to them, nor could he ever shrug them off as he did every other telling off or self-righteous tirade.

He'd never, _ever_ shrugged off Summer.

It was for that reason that he remembered what she'd said to him, even now. 'No man is an island', she'd said. And he knew it, now especially. He was perhaps the most solitary man Vale had ever produced, by choice and his own necessity, and yet even he couldn't stay away from civilization forever. Some small part of him seemed to know that remaining human required other humans, and so he went home from time to time so he could see his nieces and brother-in-law. Of course, he and Taiyang had been brothers even before he pseudo-married Raven...it was just a bit more legitimate than a shared drink now.

Reaching into his pack, the veteran Huntsman produced some military issue rations and two canteens. Standard Team STRK procedure - plan for Taiyang wrecking/forgetting one of at least every piece of gear. Even when STRK was nothing but a memory, that was how Qrow remembered his spares.

One of his last bastions of resistance against the onset of time.

One set of rations went to each of them, and the canteens were split the same way. Neither said a word as they went through the motions of fuelling their bodies. Qrow's thoughts wandered, distracting himself from the taste of the rations. _'Modern technology can make coliseums float, break mountains, burrow tunnels to the heart of the planet and cure almost everything under the sun...but it still can't make a decent-tasting ration packet.'_

Gathering his thoughts again, Qrow turned to check on Jaune and found him sleeping. Contemplating him for a moment, the warrior decided to emulate him. The sleeping didn't give off negativity, not in the manner of the conscious. Besides this place would still stink of Deathstalker – no Grimm was going to disturb them. So Qrow closed his eyes and let the day go past, as the blond slumbered on beside him.

* * *

The two awoke almost simultaneously. Internal clocks attuned to the cycle of day and night, they became aware as soon as the change-over occurred. Rising to their feet, the two men stretched a bit before taking off at the same speed they had maintained the night before, keeping to their course.

Hours and the moon moved by in tandem, as silver light outlined the duo. Just like before, not a single word was exchanged. This was as natural as breathing to both of them; the endless loping across the land, covering ground in the search of...something.

Jaune had been wandering aimless for years now, in search of help for a village which had been reclaimed by time. Qrow had spent more years in these lands than most any other, learning the ways and carrying out his missions. No threat to the kingdoms had managed to make it past him yet, be it human or Grimm – and he planned to keep that record unblemished until death forced him to part with it.

Senses strained to the limit as feet moved like quicksilver, either figure capable of detecting a Grimm before it ever saw them. As the hours and miles rolled by, the occasional monster reared its head. One Ursa was passed by an immaculately dressed figure, and moments later its top half finally realised it was no longer connected to the hind quarters.

Jaune flickered and vanished as they passed a five-strong pack of Beowolves, reappearing next to Qrow seemingly at the conclusion of the step he'd been taking. The pack turned to follow...and fell apart into so much black meat.

If a person had been asked to look at the two figures cutting such a swathe of destruction, they might not have been able to tell the difference if they switched sides. Under the shadowy light of the moon, there weren't a man and a boy, a veteran Huntsman and a survivor – they were death itself, come for its due.

The moon was beginning to set once more when the walls of Vale finally came into view. This was the only thing so far which had actually caused any change in their speed, as Jaune's pace slowed dramatically. Qrow slowed with him, knowing that their run was complete. Besides, the kid would need time for this – and at walking speed, he had about twenty minutes.

As the duo grew closer and closer, Jaune seemed to grow more and more unsure of himself. When they finally reached the walls, the blond reached out tentatively, splaying his fingers on the surface.

When it refused to vanish beneath his touch, he turned to look at Qrow. There was hope burning there, a flame which had been buried, drowned, stomped and suffocated, but had refused to die.

Qrow gave him a half-smile. "It's real. Welcome back, Jaune."

* * *

If the guards at the gate nearby thought the tableau before them was strange, they didn't mention it. After all, the look the older man had given them when the blond started to cry silently had been explicit. _Approach or interrupt, and you won't have nearly enough time to regret it.  
_

* * *

When Jaune was back in control, Qrow rose from where the two had sat down, leaning against the wall as the dark-haired man ran his hand through the blond teen's hair, like he remembered his mother used to do for him once upon a time...and like Summer had taken up doing, later on. It had always calmed him down, and it seemed to help Jaune as well, if the grateful smile he managed to conjure when they stood was any indicator.

Qrow's Double-S Huntsman status got them both past the security checkpoint with nary a question asked, although the blond teen in a coat which was definitely black, but was an absolute mystery beyond that point, drew a lot of strange looks. Jaune didn't seem to notice, blue eyes intent on absorbing everything in front of him with a child's wonderment. He allowed Qrow to keep them moving, always staying just a step behind the man who had saved him. But his focus was on his surroundings, as he tried to take everything in at once.

They cleared the militarised zone around the wall after ten minutes, reaching the outlying areas of the city. Here, Qrow led his charge to an unassuming building which proclaimed that it was a hotel. Even in this dingy environment, Jaune continued to stare, his curiosity and wish for more things to look at seemingly unending.

A room was booked for the night, and the man behind the counter didn't ask for anything from them. Qrow left instructions and several Lien notes with him, and then Jaune followed him to a room on the third floor. The Huntsman made sure the door was secured behind them before reaching into his pack, retrieving a Scroll and activating it.

It was to his ear in moments, and answered in even less time. _"Qrow, to what do I owe the pleasure?"_

"Oz, I need you here now. Edge of the Gate Seven zone, piece of shi-" Pausing, Qrow glanced over his shoulder before continuing. "Eh-hem. _Cheap_ hotel that's trying way too hard; you'll find it easily. Tell the guy at the desk you're looking for an old friend."

To his credit, or perhaps to the credit of his years of experience with Qrow, Beacon's headmaster didn't even hesitate for a moment. _"I'm on my way. Shall I bring Glynda?"_

Qrow turned to look at Jaune, who was trailing his hands along the bedsheets as if they held the key to all life's mysteries. "I think you'd better." He replied.

The call ended and the device closed, before Qrow moved to stand next to the blond. Jaune was depressing the mattress with his fingers, seemingly enraptured with how it bounced back. The Huntsman settled down on the bed which Jaune was currently experimenting on, regarding his charge with dark eyes that found themselves quickly meeting blue.

"Well, we made it kid." He grinned, the cocksure expression one he had long since become accustomed to forming. Jaune smiled back at him, a large range of emotions seemingly trying to express themselves at once. Leaning back and affecting nonchalance, the Huntsman continued. "Since I just got back, I gotta talk with a couple friends of mine. I figure they'd like to meet you, so they're coming here. You okay with that?"

Jaune frowned for a moment, tilting his head in the manner which indicated he was thinking. Qrow knew that was a common gesture, but honestly, the blond used it a lot more than he was used to. It was almost like he was listening to someone every time he thought, but the Huntsman knew full well that he wasn't wearing any kind of communicator. It was one more thing to question later, he supposed.

For now, he watched the frown, which he suspected largely came from the effort involved in using higher logic skills or, more specifically, speaking, clear away into another smile as the blond nodded vigorously. "Yes!"

Qrow nodded approval to himself; after the water, Jaune's voice sounded much better. It put a different spin on the way his features seemed so clear-cut, to realise that he was likely underfed and somewhat dehydrated. Deciding he could at least help with that last one, he got up from the bed again. "While we wait," he declared, "how's about we get a drink?"

* * *

It couldn't have been more than a quarter of an hour when someone tapped quietly on the door. Both men in the room had been aware that someone was coming their way since they had first set foot on the stairs, but they had remained motionless until that small sound was heard.

Qrow stood, Jaune not far behind, and made his way to the door. He checked through the peephole, his body carefully kept out of the doorway to prevent any attacks made through the portal from making contact. On the other side were unmistakeably Professors 'Guess-My-First-Name' Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch, both of Beacon.

Ozpin was more or less the same height as Qrow himself, perhaps a bit taller, and his face lacked many of the signs that indicated aging. He could have been anywhere from twenty to thirty...by appearance, at any rate. His full head of silver hair was the only evidence of his actual collected years. Well, his hair and the force of personality behind his amber eyes. It seemed to darken them noticeably, even as the golden irides shone like the gemstones they so resembled. The glasses he wore did nothing to lessen their force.

He was dressed in the same ensemble he had used for decades. A fairly generic black suit, the only colouration the golden buttons holding his jacket closed. Protruding from its collar was an emerald green scarf, wrapped around his throat and clasped with a metal rosary. The gemstone in its centre glinted a dull red in the light, the shade similar to Qrow's own eyes.

Glynda was only an inch or two shorter than her boss, her straw-yellow hair pulled back into a no-nonsense bun. The only concession she had made was a single ringlet which fell down the right of her face, trailing over the arm of her own glasses. Green eyes, just as sharp as Ozpin's if not as forceful, stood out against her pale skin.

She had donned her usual ensemble as well, a white shirt with puffy sleeves that fed into a black skirt fastened with golden buttons that ended just above her knees. The colouration was fairly similar to the tights and tall socks which covered the rest of her legs. On her back was a cloak, black on the outside but purple within. A line of golden diamonds had been pinned along its back, whilst its trailing end had been fashioned into twisting arrows...like snakes were curling from the fabric.

There could be no doubt that Qrow was seeing two of his oldest acquaintances...but as he had long since learned, there was more to the truth of the world than what could be seen.

Enunciating clearly, Qrow spoke around the doorframe. "Four seasons, four kingdoms."

In return, the silver-haired figure replied, "Four maidens, four burdens."

Qrow spoke once more, "Four guardians, four pillars."

The code was completed by the headmaster, "Twelve to defend, twelve to be defended."

The door was unlocked, the portal pulled open as the two professors stepped quickly inside with only the tap of Ozpin's signature cane. The entryway was sealed again moments later, as Qrow turned back to the Huntsman and Huntress he had called in.

"Oz, I want you to do me a favour." He said by way of introduction, prompting one silver eyebrow to rise in question. "Call the Tinman, and tell him he seriously needs to work on his surveillance tech - cause apparently he's being outdone by teenagers now." This was a manner of speech Qrow had become rather good at over the years; speaking with multiple meanings. To Glynda or, if he could discern the secondary meaning, Jaune, it was a typically 'Qrow' way of saying hello and introducing the next topic. To Ozpin, who had the context of knowing what Qrow had been out and looking for, as well as the reason _why_ he'd sent a veteran Huntsman like Qrow out in the first place, it had several other meanings.

Stepping aside, the dark-haired Huntsman gestured to Jaune, who was standing a bit uncertainly by the window. "This is my new friend, Jaune - formerly of Arc. We met while I was on one of my little walks; seems he's got a knack for pest control."

Ozpin's eyes widened, and Qrow almost raised an eyebrow. It took a _lot_ to get any kind of tell out of Ozpin; widened eyes? That was the equivalent of a full-body jerk from Beacon's headmaster. "From Arc, you say?" The older man murmured, pushing his glasses up his nose as he leaned on his cane. "Then, he was out there for...?"

Qrow just nodded.

The green-suited professor let out a long breath, and behind him Glynda turned a gasp into a quick rush of air between clenched teeth. She, like Qrow, had been one of those deployed to deal with that event years before; the idea of anyone surviving that, let alone remaining alive since then, _let alone_ a _child_ accomplishing it... Well, it would have drawn a reaction from anyone.

Ozpin shook his head, though whether it was due to some internal dialogue or to clear his mind was uncertain. "I see..." He murmured, voice low, before he looked up from where his gaze had ended up focussed on the floor. "Glynda," he began, "we have an empty space in this year's entry class to Beacon, do we not?"

The blonde professor, who had been unable to tear her eyes from the young man standing in silence before them, nodded mutely.

"In that case..." Ozpin muttered, apparently gathering himself. He moved a few steps toward Jaune, each movement carefully measured and slowly implemented. The blond didn't move, but his eyes flickered to Qrow, who gave him the same cocksure grin which had become his trademark. Apparently reassured, when Ozpin reached out a hand, just like Jaune's rescuer had almost two days before, the blond took it with only minor hesitation.

"Your name is Jaune, is it not?" A few moments for Jaune to process the different phrasing, then a hesitant nod. "My name is Professor Ozpin. I'm the Headmaster at a school here in Vale, called Beacon. I believe..." He glanced over his shoulder, where there came a minute nod from the younger man. "That Qrow would like me to take you on as a student. Would you be interested in that?"

Jaune frowned and concentrated, processing the words. Many of his skills had been abandoned in the face of survival over the past seven years, but he'd still had a use for his voice - language had rusted, but it wasn't completely gone yet.

"...If Qrow...thinks so then...I will agree." His halting speech felt clumsy on his tongue, but it was enough for the Headmaster, who nodded.

"Excellent; I shall greatly look forward to your presence at my school." He turned back to face his old friend, who retained his grin for Jaune's sake. "Qrow, you two come with us back to Beacon. We'll settle Jaune into a room for now, and you and I can have a chat in my office." The Huntsman nodded, even as he pulled open the door. Ozpin left through it first, while Glynda stayed behind momentarily.

"Your name is Jaune, right? I'm Glynda." Blue eyes met green, and anyone who thought they knew Glynda Goodwitch might well have been shocked at the warmth they showed.

Jaune didn't know her reputation though, wasn't one of the students who she had been responsible for forging into weapons, wasn't one of the junior Huntsmen just learning about her reputation. He just recognised the look from a long time before, and instinctively gravitated to it. "...Glynda." He repeated quietly. The blonde woman smiled, and nodded.

"That's me." Gesturing to the door, she asked, "Do you want to come with us? You'll need somewhere to stay, and we'll all be nearby at Beacon." The idea of staying close to Qrow, and now Glynda, was quite well rooted in Jaune's mind. As a result, he followed the woman eagerly down the stairs, a smile on his face.

Last to move was Qrow, who was looking out of the room's window and up at the stars. _'_ _Summer...are you watching? I don't know if this kid can be helped or not...but I'm going to try.'_

Though his heart twisted just to think of her, he managed a far more genuine, though quieter, grin as he turned away from the window. ' _Just...don't go saying you told me so.'_

With his mind clear, the dark Huntsman left the room, the door closing with a final click.

* * *

The Bullhead which had transported the professors was still in place on their return to the airpad, and the four were flying in minutes. The experience, noted the three adults, didn't seem to affect Jaune at all. He simply looked out of the cockpit over Glynda's shoulder as she flew, once again lost in the experience of being among humans again.

 _'Where does a child who becomes a man far away from civilization become accustomed to flight?'_ Wondered Ozpin, gears turning in his mind even as Qrow's had already provided an answer – but one that would remain unspoken until he and Ozpin were alone - and even then, only if asked.

For now, silence reigned apart from the noise of the craft itself, which made the trip to Beacon in about five minutes. The four disembarked, with Glynda immediately breaking off to guide Jaune to his room. The young man hesitated for a moment, looking uncertainly to Qrow. The Huntsman just shot him a grin, clapping a hand on his shoulder encouragingly. "Glynda's good people, Jaune. A bit square, but good people." Glancing over Jaune's shoulder, the Huntsman could easily see the glare his colleague shot him, and it coaxed some genuine emotion which turned his grin into a smile. "She'll take care of you."

Jaune seemingly satisfied with that, the blondes moved off together into the school's dormitory building - thought not before Qrow saw Glynda's glare soften into something more approving.

* * *

Meanwhile, Qrow and Ozpin made the trek to the campus' central spire, where they entered the tower's base. They crossed to the elevator leading to Ozpin's office, the doors closing behind them as the Headmaster input a code to allow them entry.

The metal box reached the top a mere ten seconds later, allowing both men to exit the contraption. Of course, contraption was a word better suited to Ozpin's office; a glass ceiling and floor exposed dozens of turning cogs, all moving against each other to achieve the infinitely complex result of accounting for time's passage.

The man himself settled behind his desk, pouring a fresh mug of coffee from his thermos. The silver haired man didn't offer any to Qrow; he knew him better than that. Instead, he activated the holographic display screens in the room, photons stacking atop one another to create a map of the out-lands. Further taps from Ozpin reduced the targeted area to that which was southwards of Vale, where the map became highlighted in shades of red.

"Two months ago, the Grimm numbers roughly one hundred and fifty miles south of Vale began to fall dramatically. Our aerial surveillance showed that the number of Grimm being spotted while on patrol was decreasing rapidly, and eventually showed us that they were being attacked and killed by something too fast for the camera to track."

Ozpin took a sip from his mug, setting it back down on a designated part of his desk. "Though this was hardly a cause for concern, what _was_ a cause for concern was the possibility of those destructive capabilities being turned on our fair city." Here Ozpin began seemingly fast-forwarding the display map, which became noticeably less red. "Today, we count a reduction of at least ten percent in almost all indigenous Grimm species, from Beowolves to Goliaths."

"I sent you on this case because it's what you do best. Defeating threats before they truly become threats. So while I'm hardly going to tell you it was a bad idea," seeing as that would be rather hypocritical with all the people he had let into Beacon over the years, one of that year's applicants being a prime example, "I'd like to know what you're thinking, Qrow."

Qrow sighed to himself, reaching for the flask at his belt now that he was finally out of the field.

Being drunk on a mission was suicide; being drunk when _not_ on a mission was how he _prevented_ suicide

Taking a swig, he replied, "Honestly, Oz? I don't know if I'm really _thinking_ right now." He let out a dark chuckle, though it was tinged with some nostalgia. "Maybe it's Summer's ghost getting to me in my old age, but I couldn't just leave him out there. Can't just adopt him - no history, no paperwork, too old, and of course, _me_." Didn't need much more explanation than _that_. "He needs an education, but I can't just put him in a normal highschool. He'd never fit in...plus, operating at his level, he might break someone on accident."

Ozpin visibly flinched at hearing Summer's name, something he hadn't stopped doing in over a decade. Qrow didn't bother counting that as a tell - _everyone_ flinched when someone mentioned Summer, even if it wasn't always a visible reaction.

Once he'd shaken the overwhelming regret from his mind for the moment, Ozpin nodded to himself, assimilating the information. Really, Qrow had probably made the best call; Beacon was just about the only place for Jaune at the moment. "I see. I have to agree, old friend; we are likely the only facility in Vale, perhaps all the Kingdoms, where he can re-integrate."

Qrow bowed his head, acknowledging Ozpin's acceptance. "I'm kinda sorry I can't just take him for myself," he admitted. A raised eyebrow from Ozpin prompted him to continue. "It's just...you know I've not been... _well_ , lately." It made him uncomfortable to admit it, but it was probably about time he got his act together. Summer would have kicked his ass by now, and the only reason Taiyang hadn't done it was because he was even more broken than Qrow himself was, even if it didn't show as much.

The Headmaster seemed to know what that admission cost him too, since he just nodded to acknowledge the point. "Well, when I found him out there...I guess it was some kinda jolt I was needing, 'cause all of a sudden it just felt like..." The Huntsman reached into the air, as if grasping for something only he could see. "It felt like there was finally something I could _do_. Something that mattered, but something that was...my own." His expression was a touch frustrated, but Ozpin's was a mix between proud, happy and amused.

"I know very well how you feel, Qrow." He told the man, smile still in place.

The Huntsman snorted. "Yeah, I bet you do." Shaking his head, Qrow continued. "He'll do well here, Oz. He's missed out on a lot, sure, but he was already getting back into the swing of things when we got here. He's got all the power he needs, and I'm betting now that he'll soak up whatever he's taught like a sponge. He's going to do a lot of good, one of these days."

Ozpin's smile grew a little wider. "Much like another young man I once knew."

Qrow snorted once more, though it was a rueful noise now. "You say that, but just look at me now." He gestured to himself, and to his dust-covered attire.

"I am." The Headmaster responded simply.

A short bark of laughter echoed around the room, and Qrow shook his head. "You got me there, Oz." Shaking his head once more, he sat back in his chair. "Still...you don't suppose I could hang around a while, do you? See him settled in, at least?"

The Huntsman seemed pensive, and a touch nervous - but it just made Ozpin's smile wider. "Well, I don't see why I should do anything if a dusty old crow happened to start roosting on the school grounds. Nor if a concerned family member, who also happened to be a friend of the faculty and a teacher himself, were to take some time off and reconnect with a few old friends."

A quiet sigh of relief emanated from Qrow, followed by an even quieter "Thank you."

Ozpin didn't respond, just tapping several spots on his desk, and bringing up some footage taken by the fish-eye lens in Qrow's top button. He always wore it in the field, and the information on it had uploaded to Ozpin's private network, separate from Beacon's network, which was separate from the main Valian network, as soon as the Huntsman stepped into the office.

He fast-forwarded, reaching the point he was interested in, watching a young man they were labelling as at or around seventeen years of age take apart a creature likely several tens or even dozens of times his age with a slightly creased brow.

Qrow watched too, and eventually Ozpin paused the playback on an image of Jaune's masked face. The silver-haired man studied it intently from behind steepled fingers, expression inscrutable. Eventually he turned to look at the other man in the room. "So, he's this strong already..."

The Huntsman nodded grimly, taking another swig from his flask. "Bad enough seeing the recording. Standing there with him? It was almost like that time with the Medusa. Like an almost physical weight."

Ozpin nodded slowly, rewinding the footage and playing, pausing more on the close-up of the mask.

"It's definitely as you've said..." He murmured. "His power and his physical conditioning are already at their limits, and his stance..." A questioning look was shot at Qrow, who nodded.

"Perfect self control. I'm pretty sure he's already got biofeedback down."

Shaking his head, Ozpin turned back to studying the image. "So count his spacial awareness as being on that level as well, if his Aura was already saturating the area... So, he's almost the equivalent of a tailored solo-Huntsman. However, he lacks a weapon or particular fighting style, and he likely has little to no experience in being part of a unit."

Qrow didn't bother to add anything; a teacher he may have been, but Ozpin had taught _him_ , alongside hundreds of others over the years. This man had forgotten and likely re-learned more about being a teacher than Qrow would ever know, and he didn't need advice on how to do his job.

As Ozpin thought and made plans, he stared into the empty eyes of Jaune's mask, taking a sip of coffee in the face of the abyss. " _May you always be cursed to live in interesting times..."_ he whispered to himself, even as Qrow rose silently from his chair and left the office, ready for the day to be over.

* * *

Many corridors away, blue eyes lit upon every available surface, pulling novelty and knowledge from them as one might pull water from a sponge. He had been put in a quiet room, away from all the other students for now, and instructed on how to use his shower. Clean clothes were laid out on the bed as well; jeans, a white t-shirt and a black hoodie with red lining, plain black boxers and socks, a pair of trainers... He didn't question that they fit him; he was just happy that he had something new to wear. His coat was hanging up in the room's wardrobe, and he decided to look into repairing it properly at some point. It had served him very well over the years, and with proper materials he could probably make it last longer yet.

Sure, expanding it and sealing tears or gaps with Grimm hides _worked_ , but it didn't have the same texture as the base material.

He'd left the even more heavily damage shirt and trousers in a crumpled heap on the floor; for some reason, he'd never formed the same kind of bond with them as he had with his coat and boots, the footwear in question being situated beneath his coat in the wardrobe until he could repair them too.

Having running water, _hot_ running water, was a luxury he had all but forgotten - but it was a heavenly change after years of bathing in streams and lakes, constantly on the lookout for water-dwelling Grimm, or monsters approaching from the surrounding area. He almost felt like some kind of nonphysical weight which had been building for years now was being washed away down the drain, and he felt himself begin to properly relax.

He was back. Seven years, they said it had been but _he'd made it._

Thanks to Qrow, he'd made it.

Qrow seemed to think that he should enroll in Beacon; so, he'd do it. He was fairly sure that Beacon was where Huntsmen went to get training, if his admittedly somewhat fuzzy memory wasn't deluding him; so, he had his goal.

He would become a Huntsman. He would make his rescuer proud...and he would fulfill his promise.

Right after he found more soap.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Hello, reader! 'Oh God, another OP Jaune story' you may be thinking to yourself...well, I'm not gonna beat around the bush; yeah, that's what this is. I'm fond of having characters who start off as being really powerful – it means that more focus can be placed on development as a character instead of as a warrior, and when that character eventually fails, it hits all the harder. Of course, I know that this idea has been done to death by the RWBY community...but I can't help but want to write this, and my fingers have more control over my body than my brain at the moment.**

 **This piece will probably be updated infrequently; just whenever I finish a chapter of Fractured Heart and find that I have no work to do, but I still want to write. So be forewarned!**

 **I hope you enjoyed reading this even partially as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you have any comments or criticism, please leave a review and I'll make sure to get back to you. Enjoy your day!**


	2. II - Tipping Point

01/12/2016 - Several alterations and revisions to comply with the previous edit.

* * *

Qrow Branwen sat in darkness and quiet contemplation. His mind was perfectly still, thoughts sliding from one point to another like quicksilver. He was, in fact, at peace.

He should have known better.

The curtains were pulled open sharply, the sun light striking him with more force than a Goliath's charge. The veteran Huntsman threw up his arms in his defense, toppling backwards off his bed.

"Qrow, it is two o' clock in the afternoon. Get over your hangover and come help me with Jaune." The only answer Glynda received was a moan, which was moments later followed over the lip of the bed by a questing hand.

"Glynda, I was in the middle of enjoying a drunken stupor. I haven't had one in _two months_ because of you and Ozpin, do you have no _soul_?" Qrow heard a snort from behind the barrier of fabric currently acting as his haven.

"No more than you do, you dusty old bird. Now get up, and come help me get your guest off the roof."

The roof?

* * *

During his time in Beacon, Qrow had been part of team STRQ, otherwise known as Stark. He'd had a lot of adventures in those days, alongside his sister and the two other people he considered family. It had been a great time, full of life and detention.

What they had never done, however, was somehow reach the _literal highest point on Beacon,_ and then choose to hang from it by one hand. This feat was made all the more impressive by the fact that said peak was in no way accessible from inside the building, meaning that Jaune had scaled the 'Tower of Beacon', probably free-handed.

Qrow was impressed. Glynda was...less so.

The two of them were standing on a bench which the professor was currently levitating beneath them, allowing them to stand and face the blond figure in a hoodie and jeans. Blue eyes were currently moving between the two faces uncertainly, apparently confused by the conflicting signals they were putting out.

Since Qrow was still, for lack of a more descriptive phrase, drunk, Glynda had been elected to handle the talking.

"Jaune. Can I ask _why_ you have decided to put your life at risk by coming up here?" Cobalt vanished and reappeared in rapid succession as the blond in question blinked, head tilted slightly.

"...Didn't? Easy."

The blonde professor presented the single best example of a raised eyebrow to have ever taken place away from Ozpin's face. "It was easy, was it? I suppose I'll just have to accept that, considering the evidence before me. But again I ask, _why_?"

Jaune seemed to contemplate the question for a moment, before reeling off words slowly. "...Sun. High ground." Glynda fed the words into her formidable mind, putting them in context.

"You wanted to see the sun...so you decided to go where you could see more?" Glynda sighed quietly.

"Alright Jaune. Next time, we'll give you a room facing the sunrise, so don't come up here again. Okay?" Another few moments while the young man made use of skills which had rusted to the point of nonexistence over seven years.

"...Okay, Glynda."

Taking the use of her name as a good sign, the professor gestured to the bench currently supporting them. "Come here Jaune. We need to go and see Ozpin." The blond nodded. His eyes narrowed for a moment, before he pushed off the roof with the exact amount of force needed to land on the bench without even rocking it.

Qrow placed a hand on his shoulder as the bench began to descend, but he needn't have worried. The boy didn't even shift once during the descent, simply watching the school's height pass by as the view changed.

Upon reaching the ground, the three disembarked. The bench seemingly returned itself to its original position, and Jaune cocked his head again, studying it. After a moment, he turned to face his rescuer, one hand gesturing in his fellow blonde's direction. "Glynda?" The veteran Huntsman nodded.

"Yes. Her Semblance, Telekinesis, lets her move things around." Well, it actually did a hell of a lot more than that - but most Beacon students didn't find out about that until they were starting their careers proper. The professor preferred it that way.

People were terrified enough of her combat classes without the knowledge of just what she could do weighing on them.

Qrow was getting used to the breaks in conversation which meant Jaune was recalling information, or filing it away. "Tele...kinesis. Move...things." The older man simply nodded, then patted his charge on the shoulder to indicate that they needed to go. The two followed Glynda to the same elevator that Qrow had made use of the night before, heading up to the headmaster's office.

Ozpin was at his desk when they arrived, faced with a massive pile of paperwork. "Ah, Jaune. Please come in, I'm simply examining the transcripts for this year's batch of new students." Sifting through the pile even as the trio approached, Beacon's headmaster apparently finished checking the one he was looking at, placing it on a pile which dwarfed even the one currently gracing his desk.

One long pull from his coffee mug later, Ozpin turned to face the trio, steepling his fingers in front of his face. "Now Jaune. We're going to be placing you in this batch of new students for the start of the upcoming term. That takes place in two days, meaning we have only that long to prepare you as best we can. Now, how is your speaking coming along? And can you, perhaps, remember how to read and write?"

The blond thought for a moment, head still cocked. It niggled at the Headmaster, that little gesture. A tilt of the head was a common tick when thinking, but the way Jaune did it didn't seem _right_ for that. If he didn't know for absolutely sure that he wasn't in possession of any communications technology, he might have thought he was listening to an earpiece. He was broken from his ruminations by Jaune reaching his conclusion. "Not...much." He replied. "A...little. Writing..." The blond just shook his head after that.

Well, stops and starts notwithstanding, the boy seemed to have the words and grammar necessary for getting his meaning across. Starting with written language from scratch could be difficult, but it looked like they wouldn't need to call someone in especially for this.

"Hm. Well, you appear to have the foundations you'll require. I believe that Glynda will be more than capable of getting you back on track." The blonde professor nodded, then beckoned for Jaune to follow her to the elevator, where they once more descended from the tower. Qrow watched them go and, once the doors closed, he turned back to Ozpin.

"We learned anything knew?" He asked, cutting straight to the point. The Headmaster stood, moving around the desk so that the two old friends could speak without a barrier between them.

"Seven years ago, we received a distress call from the town of Arc, a place with a population of less than five hundred. It was mid-Collapse, the assaulting Grimm numbering easily over several thousand, and their evacuation protocols couldn't cope." The Headmaster took a sip of his coffee, keeping himself level.

"All resting forces were immediately dispatched alongside years three and up from Beacon and most of the staff, and they arrived less than twelve hours later." The man shook his head. "It was too late, probably by hours. What Grimm remained were dealt with, and the ensuing search accounted for more than four hundred of the town's residents. Those who were not found were declared devoured, and as usual, the Council declared it a matter of confidential record and swept the whole thing under the rug."

Qrow just grunted. He could understand the need for morale among the Kingdoms to remain high, and thus the need for the Council to suppress as much bad news as possible, but it still didn't change the fact that the men and women who tried to hold the line, and all the others who perished, would have their names pass into the great beyond without acknowledgment, without anyone knowing of the sacrifice they made.

This was why he preferred life outside the Kingdoms.

Ozpin continued, "Among the items and articles recovered from Arc were several censures taken of the population, and there was indeed a Jaune in the town's records. He was the son of a Huntsman called Indigo Vasilias via adoption – there's no record whatsoever of who his original parents were. Indigo fell in the battle, but his ten year old son's body was never found."

"So we know for sure where he came from. If his Dad was a Huntsman, that could well explain how his aura was unlocked too. But how he survived?" Qrow shook his head as the silver flask made its way to the veteran Huntsman's lips, and a long pull ended with a sigh.

"Okay, that's neither here nor there. Right now, we have a kid whose linguistic skills would be outmatched by a Scroll's translate feature. Glynda might be able to get him more presentable before initiation, but he's certainly not going to be normal." The Headmaster nodded, his coffee no longer strong enough to keep his mind at rest.

"Indeed not. It will be an uphill journey for young Jaune, but I can't help but think he has a good chance. You said he was intelligent, and I must agree. His language skills are still there, it's just taking him a while to get used to them again. I have no doubt that, given time, he will be indistinguishable from any other speaker."

Qrow nodded, his own flask returned to his hip. "The kid'll go far...if he gets the help he needs, I wouldn't be surprised to see him surpass me. He's well on his way already."

That was a big admission from a Huntsman as accomplished as Qrow, and Ozpin knew him better than to say it was the drink talking.

"Well, he'll certainly have help," he began, reaching behind him and pulling two forms out of the pile. "Assuming you entrust him to your nieces' care?"

The brooding Huntsman, who had been taking another drink, started choking. When he could breathe again, he turned woodenly to his old friend, whose impassive face didn't betray anything.

"...Pardon?"

"Both your nieces, Yang Xiao Long and Ruby Rose, will be attending Beacon this year." The man's glasses flashed as he drained the last of his coffee, before looking over the lip of the mug at the stunned Qrow.

"Didn't you get the memo?"

* * *

Glynda Goodwitch was sitting next to Jaune at a long table in the cafeteria. She had chosen the area so that Jaune would get used to there being people moving about. The out-lands were, in her experience, places almost devoid of movement...except the Grimm, of course. When she'd come home from a tour of duty out there, she had found herself jumping at shadows for weeks afterward.

Assuming Jaune had a similarly itchy trigger finger, she decided it was best to start getting him down from whatever state of hyper-alertness he had adopted.

He had asked questions initially, using his halting speech to pick up the names of objects and places. As time went by, he asked less and less, which the professor took to mean he was learning. Certainly he was capable of that, as the two blondes conversed back and forth.

"Alright Jaune, let's try that again." She cleared her throat, to indicate that what she next said was in the context of teaching. "Nice to meet you. I'm Glynda Goodwitch. How do you do?" The blond next to her took a moment to line up the sentence in his head, then fed it to his tongue.

"I...am well. My...name is Jaune. Is...nice to...meet you too." The professor nodded to herself, seeing some improvement already.

"That was much better Jaune. Remember, 'is' always comes after a noun. Apart from that, all that's really needed is practice, and those gaps will smooth themselves out." The young man nodded, smiling at the praise, and then settled himself to indicate he was ready to go again.

"Hello Jaune. Would you like something to eat?" Another moment's pause, the assembly of the words, the instructions to be carried out.

"Yes...I would...love to eat...something." Another pleased nod from the teacher, as she gave her student a smile.

"Yes, nicely done Jaune. You see? The words come with time." They had quickly discovered that Jaune's vocabulary had, for the most part, been reduced to those words which were simple, meaningful and short. As such, words like 'something', which had such varied possibilities of meaning and was the length of two words, had to be re-learned.

The blond was progressing quickly though; most of the work seemed to be reminding him of skills he had possessed once, but which had lost their potency over time. Checking the clock over the dining hall's doors, the professor stood up. "Well, Jaune, that's about four hours we've been working for. It's about time we actually got you something to eat."

Blue eyes lit up like fireworks at the prospect of food, and Glynda sighed internally, wondering just what she was getting herself into with this little project.

She had received a rather bemused call from the cooks that morning, shortly before she went to fetch Qrow. According to them, Jaune had come wandering into the kitchens at the crack of dawn, nose in the air and eyes somewhat glazed. He'd made a beeline for the large trays where pancakes were being made, and it had taken some quick explanations from the kitchen staff to stop him from trying to pick up the half-cooked treats.

Still, the moment they were ready, Jaune had devoured enough of the things to feed at least five normal students before anyone had even really thought to offer him cutlery. After that, he'd wandered off - but not before giving some rather halting thanks to the kitchen staff, who were stuck between laughing themselves silly and staring in disbelief at what had once been a massive stack of pancakes.

How that transitioned into him standing atop Beacon's main tower, Glynda had _no_ idea - but she had been more than a bit miffed when she finally tracked him down, having come close to tearing the campus apart searching for him or commandeering a Bullhead to go and search Vale...before she'd gone into the courtyard and seen the shadow of the tower running across the flagstones.

More specifically, the very human shadow at the top of it.

The two blondes approached the serving bar set into one of the hall's walls, and Glynda began instructing Jaune in how to use it. "Now Jaune, there's a simple proces to go through when you want to eat here. First you get a tray..." Here the professor lifted one of said transportation platforms and set it in Jaune's hands. "Then you collect plates or bowls from this pile..." The Huntress chose one of both containers and set them on the tray, her student balancing them easily. "Finally, you pick out foods as you pass using the tools which are already there." With Jaune appropriately kitted out, a matching set of tray, plate and bowl flew over to the professor, who began to move along the selection, picking out a variety of her favourites.

Her fellow blond watched her demonstration, before breathing in conspicuously through his nose, and then moved along the line, eyes roaming the various dishes. He chose several fruits for his plate, a glass of juice and a ladle of sweet-and-sour chicken, which made its way into the bowl.

Both trays loaded, teacher and pupil made their way to their original seats to eat, Glynda reaching out and snagging two full sets of cutlery from the end of the serving area as they passed. Struck by a sudden thought, the professor looked over to her fellow blonde once they were seated. "Jaune, do you remember how to use cutlery?"

"...Cutlery?"

Nodding to herself, Glynda lined up her knife, fork and spoon. She pointed to one at a time, naming them, before gesturing to all three at once.

"Knife, fork, spoon. All cutlery." Recognition flickered across Jaune's face, and he looked to the identical set of implements she then handed him.

"...Got it."

"That's good," she congratulated. "Now, have a go, and we'll see if how you do." In most people, the implication that they couldn't use cutlery properly would be met with affront. Not with Jaune, though; when you had no concept of pride, it took more than an offer to help improve a skill to insult a person.

The youth stared at the knife and fork he held in his left hand for a few moments. He started experimenting, holding them both in his right hand, then separating them. When he had the fork in his left hand and the knife in his right, he nodded to himself.

He rotated them in his hands, until the fork's prongs and the knife's edge faced away from him. Another nod, and he tried to use the tools on one of the fruits on his plate.

In fairness to him, he _did_ correctly hold the fruit in place while the knife bisected it.

The table was just...in the way.

Glynda just stared at the cutlery buried in the table, as well as the plate and tray. She opened her mouth, as if to ask a question...then closed it again, and shook her head. "Well, you've got the right idea." She told him. "Just...perhaps be a bit more delicate."

A somewhat sheepish Jaune nodded, pulling the metal from the table as easily as he'd put it there and trying again. This time, he acted with almost exaggerated care, barely pressing on the knife at all. Shaking her head again, Goodwitch indicated that he should find a middle point.

Frowning in concentration, the youth found a point where the knife's edge bit, but didn't immediately sever its target. Moving his hand back and forth, he found that the groove became deeper and deeper until the fruit separated. Looking to his teacher, Jaune smiled when he saw her nod in approval.

With his new understanding, the meal became child's play, and he finished it in minutes. His teacher finished a little while later, and found that her student had picked up one of the books from the pile she had acquired. He was leafing through it, frowning in concentration.

Checking the cover showed that it was _The Common Language: A Beginner's Guide_. Well, he'd already started it. Glynda picked out another book, _The Greater Common Dictionary_. Placing it beside her, she only had to wait a couple of minutes before Jaune placed his finger on a word. "De...di...ca...ti...on?" he read, breaking it down to try and spark his own understanding. Glynda reached for the dictionary.

* * *

Hours later, Jaune was awoken from dreams of spinning words and letters by someone walking into the corridor which his room was attached to. He moved from his bed to beside the door frame, still clothed in the jeans and t-shirt of his outfit but without the shoes and hoodie, not making a single noise. The footsteps came to a halt outside his room...and were followed by rapping knuckles.

"Come on out Jaune. There's something we need to get taken care of tonight." Qrow's voice was soft but insistent, and Jaune immediately stood down from his combat-ready mindset.

Quickly pulling the trainers on, the blond unlocked the door, then stepped out out and re-secured the portal behind him. Since Jaune wouldn't be a registered student until classes began, and so couldn't be issued a Scroll yet, his room made use of a key instead. After all, there was nothing of value in there.

Gesturing for him to follow along, the dark Huntsman led Jaune in a quick run across the campus to a low building near the cliff side. A light emanated from within, and the older man pushed open a heavy door to enter.

From within, it was obviously a workshop. Metalworking, gunsmithing, woodworking and even fabric-working machinery was lined up against all the walls, surrounding a waist-height, cylindrical metal structure which glowed with the molten light of Burning Crimson Dust. There were already two figures present in the room; one of them was a brunette girl, dressed in an ensemble which Jaune assumed was fashionable. Despite going over the definition with Glynda, he still didn't really understand that, and had consigned any outfit with more than four pieces to that description.

Beside the girl was a towering man, dressed simply in brown trousers, a close-fitting black shirt and a light green robe that hung from one shoulder, buckled around his waist with a thick belt.

"Jaune," Qrow began, "these are Coco and Yatsuhashi, of Team CFVY. I've bri...eh-hem, _asked_ them to give you a hand with getting you a weapon. Anyway, I gotta get back to Ozpin, so play nice kids." With that, the dark Huntsman left as quickly as he'd arrived, leaving his charge to the tender mercies of the second years.

The blond froze for a moment, unsure at having been left alone with two people he didn't know. He gathered himself though, walking forward tentatively until he was just in front of the duo. The girl lowered the sunglasses covering her eyes, revealing deep brown irides. "So, the old guy says you need a weapon?"

Jaune nodded, understanding why Qrow would have him doing this. Glynda had told him a lot of the basics about Huntsmen when he came across related words, and she had told him that every Huntsman or Huntress had their own unique weapon, something which was theirs alone and could be used to identify them as easily as their name or Semblance. Jaune had never used an actual weapon before, Lailah had made them redundant after all, but if his rescuer wanted him to have a weapon, he'd have a weapon. "Yes." That was apparently not enough for the girl, as she steered the blond to a table covered in pencils and paper.

"We need some kind of idea of what you want. I specialise in firearms and mecha-shift weapons, whilst Yatsuhashi over there is a close combat weaponry specialist. Between us, we can help you design and make just about anything. So, ideas kid?"

The blond sat in silence for a time, eyes glazing over slightly. After a minute, he hesitantly began to sketch two designs, details being added as he focussed on nothing but the picture in his head. The two second years observed over his shoulders as he worked, but Jaune was too into the work to care about the proximity.

After ten minutes of on-and-off drawing, the sketch had enough details for use as a plan. Looking up, blue eyes met brown. Coco very carefully suppressed the shudder that wanted to move through her as those eyes locked with hers. There was a force beyond that blue – something that she was incredibly glad she didn't have to fight. It was gone moments later, leaving behind only mild curiosity and anxiety. The younger man presented the sketch to his upperclassmen, and they held it between them for a moment.

The girl didn't turn her head as she spoke, continuing to examine the drawing. "Most of this is pretty simple by how these things are measured. We'll have those parts done by sunrise, easy." Turning her eyes to the young man sitting in front of her, Coco looked him up and down, calculating. Her uneasiness at what she'd seen looking out through his eyes receded behind the professionalism expected of a Beacon second year.

"The second part will take be cutting it close, if only because I'll need to build it around you. But I'm good with this. Yatsu?"

The tall youth beside her spoke quietly but strongly, the same way he did everything. "It's a well-balanced weapon, simple but effective in skilled hands. I do not doubt that it will carry him far."

Coco elbowed him. "I meant its construction, you damn weapon fanatic."

Seemingly not noticing the actually rather powerful blow to his midsection, the warrior added, "I believe we will be more than capable of concluding the project by morning."

The brunette nodded, all possible doubts dispelled. "Okay, then let's get to it. Kid, you're gonna help Yatsu with forging. I'll work on the mechanisms, and all three of us can take care of the assembly. Break!"

Coco laid the design down on a device next to the drawing table, and the image was displayed in hovering copies above the various forging stations. Jaune followed the older male, who indicated that he should retrieve some of the stock materials kept in bins around the room. The forge's molten light brightened as it became active, while CFVY's leader started selecting moulds.

Outside the building, Qrow listened from his position leaning against the wall as the room beyond came to life. Smiling to himself as the familiar sounds of forging echoed out, he pushed away and headed for his room.

Revenge on Ozpin wasn't going to plan itself, after all.

* * *

Come eleven o'clock the next morning, Glynda Goodwitch pushed open the door to Beacon's Weapon Forge. The blonde professor was just about ready to lay waste to any and everyone she found within, but stayed her hand at the last moment.

Three figures were side-by-side against a nearby wall. Coco was using Yatsuhashi as a pillow, while the giant young man was sitting cross-legged. Only the unconscious noises he was making allowed the professor to tell that he was sleeping instead of meditating.

On Coco's other side, Jaune was standing and blinking at his fellow blonde, trying to make out more than a silhouette against the morning sun. In his right hand was a longsword in the eastern style, with a single cutting edge and a slight curve. His left hand seemed empty, but he was holding it strangely – some part of the night's activities had gone into devising a bracer of some kind, she guessed.

"Jaune, it's Glynda. What were you doing in here?" Though she asked, the Huntress already knew. Coco Adel and Yatsuhashi Daichi were two of Beacon's most accomplished weapon smiths, and the sword in Jaune's hand was perfectly suited to his figure. Not to mention the _very_ used look of the workshop, or the designs still being projected over the workstations.

"Glynda. We were...forging." Despite likely having been up all night, the blond didn't seem the slightest bit tired. Apparently realising that he was pointing a deadly weapon at a friend and professor, Jaune hurriedly moved to hold it at his side, then moved over to a barrel-shaped piece of metal in the corner of the room. Pushing the sequence of buttons on the keypad at its side as Yatsuhashi had taught him, the lid of the Dust-powered cooling unit, the equivalent of a quenching trough in modern technology, slid open. Reaching within, the blond withdrew an undecorated black metal sheathe, and sheathed his weapon with a small click as the mechanism caught, holding it in place until he deliberately drew it.

A sizable leather belt was retrieved from another station, and Jaune threaded it carefully through archways attached to the side of the sheath. That done, Jaune lifted it over his shoulder on a diagonal, so that the blade's hilt protruded there. Once it was buckled, the tightness of the belt was adjusted, and once he took his hands away, the sword stayed.

The blond held his hands away from his chest, standing with arms spread. "Glynda, how...do I look?"

The professor eyed him critically. "Like you spent your entire night forging weapons. I imagine it was Qrow's idea?"

Her fellow blond nodded, smile never wavering. "Yes! I have...to thank him. And Coco...and Yatsuhashi." He turned to look at his partners in crime, but they were dead to the world. "Later...maybe." Blue eyes found their way back to the professor, no sign of fatigue yet visible.

Glynda sighed, stepping back out of the doorway so that the youth could get past her. "Come on, Jaune. We'll work in the dining hall again." The young man immediately set off in that direction, although the professor held back. A decent poke woke Coco instantly, sending her to her feet like a rocket.

She held perfectly still in the face of Professor Goodwitch's stern visage, excuses and apologies running through her mind like ammo through her minigun. "Ms Adel, the rules on weapon forging without the explicit permission of a staff member are very clear. However, since this was a good use of a bent rule, just this once, I will let it slide." The brunette let out a long sigh in relief, even as her ramrod straight posture stopped trying to leave the atmosphere.

The blonde Huntress was almost out the door when she turned back for some final words. "Oh, and Ms Adel? Do get Mr Daichi something nice to drink, will you? I think he's earned it." The fashionista turned to look at her team mate, wondering what the deputy headmistress was talking about...and realised where she had been resting her head all night.

The veteran Huntress' trained ears could just make out "Velvet is gonna kill me..." as she walked away with a small smile.

* * *

The day passed uneventfully. Jaune had learned or re-learned a great many of the words that he might come across at school, in both written and spoken form, and had managed to carry conversations with his professor for prolonged periods. Random pauses still occurred, but they were fewer and less drawn out. In fact, the blond was ready for the ultimate test – speaking to someone he hadn't met yet.

Glynda acted as a guide for the young man, as the two of them moved along corridor after corridor. Eventually, they came to rest outside a simple door marked 'Teachers Lounge'. Here the blonde professor met the young man's eyes, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Okay Jaune. This is the big test. Are you ready?" The light of determination was flaring behind those blue eyes, and the young man nodded the affirmative.

The deputy headmaster rapped sharply on the door, then moved away, leaving Jaune alone in front of it. Footsteps could be heard beyond the portal, and the door was pulled open in a manner which could only be described as...boisterous.

After all, only so many words existed to describe Professor Peter Port, veteran Huntsman.

"Well hello there young man! Can't say I recognise you, you must be new. I'm Professor Port, how do you do?" A hand was extended, and the blond blinked a few times before grasping it.

"...I am well, thank you very much. My...name is Jaune."

The great moustache rippled cheerfully as a laugh which defied any description beyond 'jolly' resounded throughout the corridor. "Jaune, eh? Well, my boy, welcome to our illustrious Beacon! This school will do very well by you; why, when I was a lad..." Placing a hand on the younger man's back, the venerable professor steered him into a room which had seen more coffee than most plantations, as Jaune listened in wonder to the story of Beacon's first annual Beowolf Wrestling Competition.

Out in the corridor, Glynda smiled. That couldn't have gone better. While Peter might not have been the most recalcitrant of conversationalists, if Jaune could get along with him, it would be a good confidence booster.

* * *

She gave it ten minutes before she walked in, to find the young man staring in awe at the veteran Huntsman before him, who was bemoaning the loss of a sport which could have grown into a school-wide pastime. "Professor...you really went hand to hand with a Beowolf?" Another guffaw, as the larger-than-life figure in front of him stood tall.

"I certainly did! I've wrestled almost every type of Grimm you can shake a stick at, my boy! All that I've yet to manage is a Nevermore – they break far too easily." The blond youth seemed to be storing this information for future use, and so Glynda made the decision to find someone a bit less...Peter...for him to work with before the professor managed to corrupt him beyond all redemption.

"Ah, Peter, I see you've met Jaune. He's the latest addition to the new students arriving tomorrow, so he'll be in your Grimm Studies class. Do you mind if I have him back for now?" Turning to his female colleague, the fellow Huntsman was probably smiling – the moustache made it difficult to tell.

"Ah, Professor Goodwitch! I suppose I'll have to let him go – it was a pleasure Jaune. I shall see you in class!" He reached out his hand again, and the obviously awe-struck young man shook it without a second thought.

"Yes sir!" Following the deputy headmaster out the door, the blue-eyed youth seemed to almost quiver with excitement.

"I get to learn from him, Glynda?"

 _'Oh dear God, what have I done?'_ Pondered the teacher, moving away from the office at a decent pace.

"Indeed Jaune, you'll be a part of his Grimm Studies class this year. In fact, there's another teacher you'll have this year you might benefit from meeting." The Huntress reached into a pocket and retrieved her Scroll, quickly selecting a contact. She held the device in front of her as she stopped, her fellow blonde coming to a dead halt in the same moment. "Doctor Oobleck, are you there?"

A moment later, the view of blank wall in the camera was replaced with a head of green hair. "Professor Goodwitch? Yes I am here I was simply working on the class presentations for the students arriving tomorrow how can I assist you?"

The man's usual habit of speaking at greater speeds than most people thought at would present a major obstacle for Jaune. As such, it was best to get it out of the way early on so that he would be prepared later.

"If you're in your room, just wait there. I have someone who I want you to meet."

The green hair was replaced by a pair of glasses and the upper half of a nose. "Oh a new acquaintance well that's simply wonderful I shall be awaiting you in my lecture hall see you then Professor Goodwitch!"

The connection died just as soon as the doctor finished speaking, and the deputy headmaster sighed as she replaced her scroll. "Come on Jaune, Doctor Oobleck's room isn't far."

It was only five minutes at walking speed, and moving at a brisk pace had them arriving there in barely half that. Inside, the main deviation from Beacon's standard lecture halls was a massive collage of historical dates and locations, all of which had been connected by various colours of string and stuck to the chalk boards along the front of the room. Darting around in front of the project, papers fluttering in his jetstream, was Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck.

As the door opened, the Huntsman turned to face his guests. "Ah Glynda!" In the space of time it took for the man to utter his first two words, the green-haired blur had rematerialised in front of Jaune, and was extending a hand to him. " And this must be the young man you wanted me to meet! Hello my name is Doctor Oobleck how do you do?"

Though he appeared somewhat dazed, the past two days of learning paid off. "I am well thank you, my name is Jaune." The blond reached out and grasped the hand which was being presented to him, and it was promptly shaken with enough vigor to shift the teen's entire body up and down

"Jaune is it? Well Jaune I must assume from your appearance that you will be joining the first year students meaning you will be a part of my History class! Do you have any prior knowledge of History Jaune?"

The blond was struggling to keep up, but the words permeated, and he shook his head in lieu of a verbal response.

"Ah I see. Headmaster Ozpin _had_ mentioned there would be some students with extenuating circumstances this year. Don't you worry I will do my utmost to get you caught up with everyone else as a matter of fact have this."

Jaune felt sure that his head was spinning now, but his senses were just aware enough to take hold of the book which was dropped into his arms. Squinting at the words on the front, meaning slowly bled into the shapes. "Remnant: A History, a com...com..." From above and behind him, the deputy headmaster finished.

"Compendium." Shooting a grateful look in her direction, Jaune returned to decyphering the script.

"A Compendium of Historic Events and Figures." Jaune smiled to himself. A long title, and he had only needed help with one word. When he had started reading again, Glynda had needed a dictionary on hand to cope with all his questions. Now, even if he was slow, he could make his way through whole chapters of the books she had given him without needing to look something up.

The green-haired Huntsman in front of them seemed to have immediately picked up on what Jaune's slow reading and high-ranking support meant, and he flipped open the book in Jaune's hands to the end. "These pages are the index here you can find anything that is mentioned in the book and what page it is on. I imagine that matching the topic spoken to the one written will be a challenge for you Jaune but I have faith that you will succeed."

"Thank you, sir." Jaune replied, having rehearsed the phrase quite often in his lessons with Glynda.

"Well Jaune it was a pleasure but I do believe the good Professor wishes to move on so I will bid you farewell. I shall see you in class!" With that goodbye, the tall man seemed to almost dematerialise again, going back to rapidly shifting strings and photos on his board.

Sighing to herself once again, the deputy headmaster led the way out of the room. As she did, the Scroll in her pocket began buzzing gently, signifying that someone was trying to contact her. "Jaune, just stand over there for a minute? I have to speak with someone."

The blond did as asked, wandering off in the direction she had indicated, the book opened to a random page in his hands. So engrossed was he in decyphering the text that the equally engrossed young woman on a crash course with him only registered a second before the two would have hit each other.

* * *

Velvet Scarlatina felt a sudden rush of air in front of her, interrupting her reading. _The Long Game: Revenge Tips for the Dedicated Student_ was a fascinating read, and she didn't appreciate the distraction. Especially after she'd found out that her team leader and her partner had apparently spent the night together in the forge and been found in the morning by Professor Goodwitch.

She quickly identified the cause of the disturbance. A tall, well-built teen with blond hair and blue eyes, carrying what she recognised as one of Oobleck's history texts. He was standing directly next to her...and had apparently appeared there without her noticing.

 _'That's impossible. My peripheral vision would have registered him if he was behind me or to the side. So he must have been directly in front of me...but that's also impossible. He must be a first year, so he couldn't be that fast...'_ The second year's eyes narrowed as she re-examined the youth in front of her. He was doing the same, she realised; looking her up and down with open curiosity.

Then they reached her head. The young man suddenly froze, his eyes locked on to the ears protruding from her skull. _'_ _Here we go again...'_ Velvet waited quietly for whichever insult was going to be slung her way, though she was also ready to move if he made a grab for them. Instead, he just stared, as if Velvet's ears were the single most interesting thing in the universe.

It was more than a little creepy, and Velvet coughed loudly to get his attention. The sound snapped his focus, and he was suddenly looking into her eyes instead. The faunus almost recoiled; the curious eyes were gone. In their place was something... _else_. It wasn't like the undying ferocity of the Grimm, nor the many different looks she had received from humans over the years.

No, this was something new. Something powerful, dangerous...and yet at the same time, Velvet couldn't help but think that it wasn't really aimed at her. Those eyes had been trained on something she couldn't see...perhaps something only the young man in front of her could see. _'_ _Oh God, did I just walk into a deserted corridor with a deranged serial killer?'_

The look only lasted a few moments. It faded quickly, and the young man shook his head as if to clear it. He gestured to her with one hand, the other holding the brick-like tome without the slightest show of strain. "...Fau...nus?" He asked. Velvet blinked; could he not tell? And what was with how he said the word – almost as if he wasn't sure of himself as he spoke.

"I'm a faunus, yes. Why?" Some form of relief seemed to spread across the blond's face as she confirmed it.

"I'm still getting...used to things again. Lots of...differences, your ears are...familiar. Knowing something...feels good." The halting speech was odd to listen to, but the young man managed to get his point across.

"Getting used to things? You were away...from Vale?" A half-nod from the young man, his face seeming to flicker through multiple feelings in a split second before settling back again.

"Yes, away...for a long time. A lot has changed. I...have changed. Sorry for...not paying...attention. I am Jaune, it is a pleasure to meet you." The look of concentration on this strange boy's face as he spoke told Velvet that everything he said was being thought out first, as if speech was something which didn't come naturally. The smooth end to the sentence seemed practiced though – a skill which had been learned rather than a habit acquired over time.

Still, he had given his name. "I'm Velvet. It's not a problem Jaune, I should have paid more attention too. It was interesting meeting you, but I need to go and see my team mates. See you around?"

The young man cocked his head to the side, as if he were listening to something only he could hear, and smiled.

"Yes, Velvet...I will see you." With those parting words, the Jaune turned and moved back the way he had come, where Velvet saw Professor Goodwitch awaiting him.

The faunus watched him go, eyeing the way he never shifted a centimetre to either side as walked, nor ever deviated in his pace. Every movement was under perfect control, and he didn't make a sound. Hell, she could have sworn he was barely even disturbing the dust in the air as he passed.

 _'He's far too skilled to be just a first year...'_ Velvet thought to herself, shivering once again as she remembered the look in his eyes, the one which had sent some part of her brain running in gibbering terror. _'Just what's going on with this guy?'_

* * *

Glynda kept the corner of her eye on her fellow blond as they traversed the corridors. Ozpin had recalled her and her student for a meeting in his office, instructing his lieutenant that she should arrive as soon as possible. Discovering Jaune apparently having a conversation with Velvet Scarlatina had been a pleasant surprise – however, the look on the second year's face when he moved away had been more a cause for concern.

 _'Just what did he say that caused a seasoned Beacon student to wear that expression?'_ A member of CFVY no less, who were far more reminiscent of third years than their own peers. To rattle them was a feat most couldn't hope to accomplish...and yet, her affable and slightly child-like young friend had managed it with only three minutes and a broken speech pattern.

She wouldn't mistake that expression of subtle, suspicious fear anywhere. It had been directed at her far too often for that.

 _'I suppose it was inevitable that at least some people would see beyond just his appearance and mannerisms.'_ She wondered if she might not have neglected to do precisely that. Jaune came across as a bit slow and easily excitable, though polite. Rather like a well-mannered child, instead of the terrifyingly capable warrior he actually was. His entire nature was twisted, in that respect - exterior and interior didn't match at all. His personality was ten years old, but his body, skills and instincts had been honed on a knife's edge. He'd lived through hell, seemingly without changing his nature at all.

Mostly, at least.

Glynda couldn't forget the look that sometimes got into his eyes. Whenever something startled him, or when he heard certain phrases, likely raising memories of the past, she would look for the peaceful young man she was teaching to read...and he would be gone. In his stead, there was just... _something._

She had been a Huntress for years - longer at this point than she'd lived as a civilian, which was a damned impressive accomplishment. In that time, she had waded through oceans of Grimm to earn her place at Beacon alongside Ozpin. She had seen things that would kill an ordinary person if they laid eyes on them, stopping their hearts out of sheer terror.

And yet, a blond teen with blue eyes less than half her age could still send shivers down her spine.

The Huntress' mind spun around that idea as the two blondes entered Ozpin's elevator and began to rise. When the doors opened, the two were presented with Ozpin and Qrow, awaiting them by the desk. Floating above it was a holographic sheet, with Jaune's face staring back at them from one corner.

As they approached, Qrow hailed the younger man. "Jaune! I hear you three worked yourselves through the night. You have something good to show for it?" The blond's smile could have lit up the room as he nodded.

"Oh, yes! They...might not be Lailah, but they are...still awesome!"

* * *

It was an innocuous statement.

A simple comparison, the kind of thing you could expect of someone who was making any kind of significant change in their life.

But it still brought the atmosphere in the room crashing to the floor, as Ozpin's grip on his cane tightened.

"Lailah?" He asked, very quietly.

You had to know Ozpin, _really know_ him, to recognise when certain things happened. Such as genuine shock...which had now spread from the Headmaster to the other Huntsman and Huntress in the room, who made up a considerable percentage of the group who knew him well enough to interpret that tone and expression.

Jaune definitely picked up on the sudden shift, nervous curiosity flashing in his eyes. "Uh-huh. Lailah. She...kept me safe, while I was...lost." The teen glanced over at Qrow. "She said she...quite likes you, Qrow."

Two pairs of eyes turned to the dark Huntsman, who had turned quite the opposite colour. In fact, it was a particular shade of white commonly known as 'Oh Crap'.

He recovered quickly, clearing his throat as he framed his question. "Jaune...does Lailah come out when you have the mask on?"

The blond nodded. "That is...right. I can hear her...normally, but she can help more if I...put it on."

A quiet, almost inaudible _crack_ echoed through the office, somehow louder than the gears turning above and below them.

It was Ozpin's coffee mug...and the single chip of porcelain which now lay beside it.

Knowing that he and the Headmaster needed to have a conversation _right then_ , Qrow turned to his blonde compatriot. "Hey, Glynda, how about you and Jaune go ahead. I'll be by with the transcript later, me and Oz've got to have a little talk first."

The blonde professor looked from Qrow to Ozpin, but remained silent. She placed a hand on Jaune's back. "Come on, Jaune. Looks like you'll have some extra time to practice your reading tonight."

Blue eyes flickered back and forth over Qrow and Ozpin, knowing that something had changed, but not sure what. Jaune let himself be steered into the elevator, though he shot a look over his shoulder at his rescuer before the doors closed.

The two old Huntsmen remained silent in the office. Of course, any Huntsman over the age of thirty was considered old. 'There's old, and then there's Ozpin' was a saying among Beacon alumni for a good reason after all. He held the record.

Ozpin was leaning against his desk, while Qrow simply stood and waited. Minutes passed, cut away from eternity by the clicking of the gears around them. Finally, the silver haired man spoke. "Qrow...this changes everything."

"Well, it's a bit of a kick in the nuts," The Huntsman replied, "but from where I'm standing not much has really changed, in the end."

A bitter laugh emanated from the Headmaster's throat. "Not much? My old friend, you heard Jaune as well as I did. How can anything remain the same if _they_ are resurfacing after all this time?"

Qrow walked over to the desk, leaning against it himself as he sighed. "That's just it. I heard Jaune. Not 'Lailah' - Jaune. A _kid._ Not a man, not a monster. Just _Jaune_."

More seconds ticked by.

"I see where you're coming from, Qrow. But what must I do? The last time this happened..."

"You don't have to say it, Oz." Qrow broke in. "You know damn well I remember what happened with Raven." The Branwen shuddered momentarily, before his eyes hardened. "I failed then...not this time." The man suddenly leaned forward, grasping his old friend by the shoulders. He turned him so they were face to face, eyes boring into each other. "You hear me, Oz? _Not this time_."

They stayed like that a moment longer. Then the Huntsman let go of the Headmaster, who remained standing nonetheless. The gears turned ever onward, and Ozpin said nothing.

A small beeping sound was heard, and Qrow felt a Scroll being pressed into his hand. "Go. Go to Jaune, and get him to sign the transcript. I'll upload it with the others."

Without a word, Qrow started to move for the elevator. He didn't stop when he heard Ozpin's final words, but they reached him anyway.

"I trust you, Qrow."

As the Huntsman disappeared down the tower, the Headmaster sighed. "After all, if we learn from our mistakes...then between you and I, we ought never to put a foot wrong again."

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Well...this happened. Apparently a _lot_ of people liked the first chapter...can't say I expected that from what was literally ten pages of me sleep-typing. This is my best attempt at continuing it, as the plot lines in my head grow longer and longer. Ended up laying quite a bit of groundwork here... Pretty soon I'll know where I want this story to end, and that will signal the beginnings of an actual plan. **

**For now though, 'tis the night before Canon, and all throughout Beacon, things are about to get...interesting.**

 **I hope you enjoyed reading this even partially as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you have any comments or criticism, please leave a review and I'll be sure to get back to you. Enjoy your day!**


	3. III - At First Sight

03/12/2016 - Several alterations and revisions to comply with the previous edits.

* * *

Ozpin sat in his office, staring at the doors which had closed behind Qrow minutes earlier.

Thoughts spiraled through his head, colliding and combining, ricocheting and forming anew. It was chaotic...but then, all order was formed from chaos. Thus, Ozpin had once reasoned, chaos was nothing more than the genesis of order. So he let chaos reign in his mind, and he waited.

If there was one thing he understood, it was time.

Minutes passed by, until he finally reached a decision. The Headmaster found himself typing a very specific sequence of passcodes into the surface of his desk. Identification confirmation pages appeared above the desk, each one vanishing to reveal the next.

Getting through them all took the Headmaster three minutes, and finally revealed a simple page of cursive script. Written, they believed, two hundred years before, Ozpin had memorised it long ago. But still, with this latest discovery, he felt the need to see it again.

 _And lo,_

 _they descended from on high_

 _to grace us with their presence._

 _Great knowledge had they,_

 _and great strength._

 _Flight was theirs,_

 _as were powers beyond our ken._

 _They gave us their names_

 _that we might stand among them as equals._

 _Barbiel, the Compassionate._

 _Malahidael, the Courageous._

 _Cassiel, the Silent._

 _Lailah, the Vengeful._

 _We give unto them our blood,_

 _that we may serve as vessels for their glory._

 _For where they touch, the darkness recoils_

 _and where they walk, the light reigns._

 _Blessed be they,_

 _and blessed be we who know them._

The page had been found in the out-lands, part of the only surviving tome from the building in which it was discovered. The book was thought to have been the journal of a high-ranking religious figure, from the language and the context of the other entries.

But this was the last page. All the following pages were blank, as if the writer had been unable to continue his work. Ozpin had been trying to solve the mystery of the book for years now, wishing to understand what the writer had been documenting – and why he had come to an abrupt halt.

It was cryptic – four people, with great knowledge and power. The description of them seemed almost in line with Huntsmen and Huntresses, or how their Semblances and combat prowess might seem to those who didn't know of them.

But no Semblance had ever accorded its owner the power of flight. No, that wasn't quite true - after all, a great many people whose Semblances seemed totally disconnected from flight had managed to get themselves airborne in some fashion or other. It was more accurate to say that the odds of four people having Semblances which all allowed them to fly without obvious assistance and in a similar manner, as alluded to by the way the passage grouped them together, were frankly astronomical.

The names had also been a dead end – they appeared nowhere else in the collective knowledge of Remnant. The fact that all of them were titled was strange as well – not even counting how odd the titles themselves were. Titles were a fairly rare thing, after all...outside of Atlas, at least.

Until seventeen years ago, the Headmaster would have been mostly content to simply let the text lie, to work on it in his spare time as he carried out his other duties. He'd been getting nowhere, and was close to shifting his focus elsewhere...

But then there had been the situation with Raven.

He still didn't like to think about it...but he had known then and there that the mystery of the text needed to be unravelled. He had sent Qrow to find more, had scoured the out-lands himself in a desperate search for knowledge. He had travelled the length and breadth of Remnant, from Mistral to Vacuo, Atlas to Menagerie.

He had found absolutely nothing...until today. When a boy not yet eighteen years old, who had wandered for seven years almost right beneath Ozpin's nose, dropped a name which had been spoken aloud less than ten times as if it were perfectly natural.

Exactly like...

Ozpin sighed. He looked mournfully at his damaged mug...and then shrugged to himself, before drinking straight from his thermos. He had left Jaune to Qrow – he would simply have to trust in his old friend.

The figure in green took another long drink.

* * *

Jaune stood in the silver moonlight, eyes closed and head bowed. Occasionally, his neck twisted slightly, orienting his ears to take in some tiny sound, but it was the only part of him which could be observed to move.

Something was wrong. Something he'd said had been wrong. That was incredibly obvious...Jaune hadn't had human contact for seven years, but even he could feel the change that had come over the room.

It was right after he told them about Lailah...

But why had that made them so upset? She wasn't a danger to anybody...she had been with Jaune from the start, ever since he first heard the only words that had never left him. While the rest of his vocabulary had slowly faded, those words had always shone brightly in his mind. Inviting, offering the safety and strength which came with invoking his guardian.

Still, he tried not to use them too much. Lailah was as much a person as anyone else... and after all, there was no need to bother her for anything less than Goliaths these days. Even without Lailah, after all, he had been killing Grimm since he was ten years old. Or so he thought, at least.

Sometimes, it seemed almost unfair for the dark creatures. That Jaune could grow in strength, while they never changed.

He had graduated from Horde class Grimm quickly, maybe a year after he started wandering. Battalion class had been next – he had mastered those in half the time. After them had come Herd class, then Pack class and he had been progressing with Squad class, with an eye on reaching the Paladin class*. But that was quite some time off, he thought, as he'd still been working on Goliaths, and had so far failed to bring one down without falling back on Lailah. It was disappointing, but Jaune knew that the power would come with time. Every day was training, after all. He would never run out of Grimm to practice on.

Of course, that wasn't the case any more. Qrow had found him, someone had _finally_ found him. A Huntsman, too – a really kind, really powerful one at that! It had been the best thing that could have happened, in his mind - and it had only become better.

Jaune opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. Tall buildings, spilling light across well-tended grass and cobblestones. Trees rimmed the perimeter of the campus, as sloping architecture soared in pleasant shapes. This was Beacon. This...was civilization.

Life flourished here. People were everywhere, human and even Faunus, which he was remembering more and more about. He felt like he used to have a friend like that...but it was still coming. And besides, 'used to have' would be the real keyword there.

Everything in Vale was so different from home. So much bigger, with so much more colour. Arc had been ancient, with low buildings and a culture which dated back almost to the time when Man first rose up from the Dust. It was built to be easily defensible, and with a population of only five hundred almost everyone had at least _heard_ of everyone else. It was about as tightly knit as it was possible to be.

Of course, such thoughts brought the ache. Thoughts of home, of his parents and his sisters, of the few friends he could still recall. The good times, the bad times, getting in trouble or being rewarded, running through the streets and laughing.

It hurt.

Years later and it still hurt.

But it wasn't as bad now. He had been exacting his vengeance on the creatures of Grimm every day for the past years - and though he knew it would never be enough, it was still comfort of a sort.

But he could stop that. For now, at least, the battle was over. He could be a normal...he was seventeen, wasn't he? He felt sure Glynda had told him that.

He could be a normal seventeen year-old. He'd learn to speak properly again, to read and write with the effortless skill that he had once possessed. He'd make new friends, like he'd had so long ago.

He would become a Huntsman – his dream realised at long last. Finally, he had the chance to pick up where he'd left off...if he could work up the nerve to approach people.

The students would be arriving tomorrow. Surely there would be some people among them who he could befriend? Some people who would accept him?

He could only hope.

A small click as he twisted his blade in its sheath, disengaging the locking mechanism. The whisper of steel as he drew it, the beautiful weapon's song as it brushed against the air.

He had helped make this. Though Yatsuhashi had done much of it, he had given Jaune more than enough opportunities to lend a hand. There was a piece of _him_ in this weapon, something which differentiated it from all the other blades like it. He hadn't quite understood, when Glynda or his father spoke about a Huntsman's weapons - had never seen how an object of metal, Dust and dried blood could possibly be anything more than the sum of its parts.

But now...now, he could see.

 _"A Huntsman's weapon is not a tool – it is not simply a sharp piece of metal, or a mechanism of Dust and projectiles."_ His father had once said. " _Through their weapon, a Huntsman expresses the truth of their nature. Their weapon is a part of them, an extension of their heart and soul, which should always be treated with the respect it deserves. So don't degrade mine by peeling fruit with it!"_

The blond sighed, even as the ache intensified. It was his father's fault for giving it such a sharp edge – nothing else could manage a cut of the same quality.

Of course, his father's weapon was gone now. Oh, there might well be a sword somewhere...but that wasn't his weapon any more. No, a Huntsman's weapon died with them. He had been told it before, and he understood it now.

Still, for as much as this blade was a part of him, it was also its own existence of a kind. So it needed a name, didn't it? Something which was just as much a part of Jaune's nature as the sword's.

His brow creased as he thought about it. He looked around him once more, and then turned to the sky. The moon's glow shone down, drenching his weapon's blade in light. It took that light, glowing in his hand like it were descended from that celestial body itself.

Jaune felt his smile return. He raised his weapon to eye level, as if he were speaking with it. "I know...what I will call you now." Despite knowing there was no one around to hear, Jaune couldn't help but clear his throat, remembering how Mayor Douglas had always done that before he gave important speeches. "I will call you Luna Machaera. Your light will shine in the dark, and lead the way for all."

Immensely grateful that the words had come, Jaune re-sheathed his weapon, the locking mechanism clicking into place. His weapon had a name, now...so he should probably start learning how to use it properly.

After all, Qrow had obviously wanted him to have a weapon of his own – which meant that he expected Jaune to use it.

Drawing his weapon again, and feeling like a bit of an idiot for sheathing it in the first place, the blond took a few practice swings. The blade was perfectly balanced in his hand – and it barely seemed to weigh anything. Jaune started doing simple, straight-line slashes. Vertically down, left to right, diagonal right to left and up... It felt good, and the blond found that he was losing himself in the simple motions.

A low noise appeared on the edge of his hearing, and he spun to face the source. Walking across the grass to his current position was Qrow, looking tired. "Hey kid. Getting to grips with your weapon?"

Jaune nodded, standing with his weapon's point facing downward. "That's good. With how you've been fighting for the past seven years, I doubt you know much about swordsmanship." Moving forward, Qrow's harried visage became more serious as he placed a hand on his charge's shoulder.

"Okay, Jaune. Before tomorrow, we gotta go over a few things." Gesturing to a nearby bench, the dark Huntsman left the blond to sheathe his weapon before following. Taking a seat, the veteran waited a moment for the seat next to him to be occupied before continuing.

"Alright kid, here's the deal. Your Semblance, which has been keeping you alive? While you're here, we'd like you to hold it in reserve as much as possible - only use it when the only other option is someone getting hurt."

The look of incredulity that was the blond's reply didn't require words, though they followed anyway. "But why...shouldn't I use it?"

The older man sighed, leaning back in his seat. "Well kid, I'm just gonna straight up say it. As you are, you're strong enough that you're probably gonna have to hold back in Glynda's classes. But if you power up, nobody around here short of me or the staff'll be able to handle it." He shrugged. "It's simple as that. If you need it to ensure someone's safety, then fire away - but apart from that, try and keep a lid on it. You shouldn't need it, after all."

Somewhat mollified, Jaune nodded. "I see the...sense in that."

"Glad to hear it. Of course," Qrow stretched, "there's another reason, too. See, no Huntsman should rely on just one method of dealing with their opponents. You should diversify, get some variety in your fighting style. You need to focus on improving your weapon skills to clear hurdles, not just assuming you'll breeze past them with the strength you already have."

Jaune nodded thoughtfully, and Qrow continued. "Being a Huntsman is about more than power, Jaune. You need skill, knowledge and purpose too. The first two will come with time – but do you have a purpose, Jaune?"

The youth didn't move for a moment, a silence of contemplation falling over the two. "I remembered, the other night." He began. "That it was once my...dream to be a Huntsman. My...purpose will be as it was then. To protect. I will not...allow another home to go...without help." The blond was resolute, finally speaking it aloud. Arc might be gone - but _he_ was still here, still alive and still fighting. And so long as he was still fighting, the spirit of Arc would live on in him. With that fire burning within him, he knew that he would do everything in his power to stop anything like that happening again.

But still, his power wasn't enough. Yes there was Lailah, but Jaune didn't count her strength as his own. It was a power he borrowed, and then returned. True strength, to him, wasn't simply borrowed - it came from within, from one's own actions and abilities. He wasn't yet strong enough to stand alone against the kind of odds which had leveled his home...but he could fix that.

Turning to the older Huntsman, Jaune fixed him with his most serious look. "Qrow, I need to be...stronger. To protect...everything, I must be...better. Will you teach me?"

Dark eyes met blue, both equally serious. For a moment, the two figures sat in the quiet of the night, their whole world a bench and unspoken words.

Then the dark Huntsman grinned, standing smoothly. "You're gonna regret asking that kid. Come on, draw your weapon. We'll start with your stance." Taking his own feet, Jaune drew the weapon from his back as his mentor did the same. They took up positions across from each other, weapons at the ready.

"Okay kid, you need to be wider and lower to the ground..."

* * *

When morning came, Glynda Goodwitch found herself in the now-familiar role of Jaune Hunter. He wasn't in his room, and she had already checked the campus buildings and the Forge. CFVY hadn't seen him, and nor had Peter or Bart. _'Where on Remnant is that boy...'_

Finally ending up back near the front of the school's main building, the Deputy Headmistress let out a despairing sigh and collapsed onto a nearby bench. Looking around, she tried to think of where she hadn't checked yet.

Her wandering eyes caught a flash of colour, and she instantly focussed on it. In the shade of a tree, across the courtyard, two figures were laid out. One head of blond hair was easily visible, and a tattered red cloak appeared to have been laid over him.

Crossing the intervening space quickly, Glynda stood over the slumbering duo. Qrow was using his hands as a pillow, looking for all the world as if he'd just lain down for a quick nap in the sunlight. Next to him was Jaune, curled up on his side with his head on the grass. The older Huntsman had apparently given him his cloak to be used as a blanket.

With a sigh of exasperation, the older blonde loudly slapped her riding crop into her palm. The noise brought both men to instant wakefulness, getting to their feet in a couple of seconds. Both pairs of eyes immediately focussed on the irate professor in front of them, and Jaune just as immediately tried to take a step back.

"Qrow. _Explain_."

The Huntsman gulped. "The kid and I were just having a chat about some of the more fragile things he can find around here. You know - glass, desks, walls, people. That kind of thing."

The professor's eyebrow twitched dangerously.

"Then we had a bit of fun with that shiny new stick of his-"

"Qrow!" Jaune suddenly cut in, looking a little bit hurt. "Please do not...insult Luna. She does not need to be...complicated to be...beautiful."

Both teachers blinked a few times, and Qrow realised he'd just automatically reached out and tousled Jaune's hair. _'What the Hell - have I seriously found the male version of Ruby?'_

"Uh...right..." He muttered. "Anyway, Jaune and I went a few rounds with...Luna," he glanced over at the blond, who nodded in approval. "And after that we decided that it was such a starry night out, we couldn't stand to let it go to waste..."

Glynda just sighed. "Honestly Qrow," she muttered. "When I took this job from old Mistress Weatherwax, I thought she was joking about how if you'd done half as much work in her classes as you did at night, you could have set a new record."

A grin spread across Qrow's face. "But Glynda," he proclaimed, "I do all my best work at night!"

"Qrow!" The professor shouted, smacking him in the back of the head from a metre away. "Not in front of Jaune!"

The Huntsman coughed, getting up from where he'd been planted in the dirt and brushing himself off. "It'll be fine," he waved her off. "I'm not treating him any different from Taiyang's girls. He can handle it."

Glancing over at Jaune for a moment, Glynda dragged Qrow away for a moment, holding a rapid conversation that, curiously, Jaune found he couldn't hear a word of. In fact, that air didn't even seem to vibrate at all with the sound.

It was almost like the sound just wasn't reaching him, despite the source being only a few metres away.

When they started walking back, he just caught the tail end. "-scued him, the Talk is _your_ responsibility. But so help me, if I hear just one double entendre I swear-"

Qrow just let out a long sigh, taking a long pull from his flask. Jaune had tried asking what was in it, halfway through their training session when Qrow had demonstrated the ability to wield his sword with one hand while drinking with the other. The answer he had received was, 'A little drink my old Dust Lab professor taught me to brew. It's made from apples...well, mostly apples...'

Idly, Jaune had wondered if he could ask the nice people in white hats if they had any more of it. He quite liked apples, after all.

Then he'd been clocked in the side of the head while he was distracted, and promptly got his head back in the game.

"Now Jaune," Glynda told her fellow blonde, "I know you're still settling in, but please, for your sake" _'And that of my sanity,'_ "please ensure you sleep in your own bed from now on. You know that you worry us when we can't find you?"

Guilt swirled around in Jaune's chest, and he nodded with his face downcast. "Sorry Glynda. I will try."

"That's all I ask," Glynda told him. Then, she gestured in the direction of the school. "Now Jaune, how about you head back to your room and get yourself cleaned up? Your classmates arrive in three hours, and I'm sure you want to make a good first impression."

Nodding eagerly, the blond took off across the courtyard at a dead run. The two veterans watched him go, hair flashing in the sunlight. "Well, Qrow? How is he?"

The dark Huntsman waggled one hand back and forth. "I've seen far worse. I managed to get him out of the 'swing it like a stick' stage pretty quickly. He's got the hang of angling the blade for slashes, and he's mostly stopped putting too much or too little force into his strikes. He isn't incorporating stabbing yet, but it'll come. We actually had more time than I expected, since I could skip blocking – the kid's damn good at dodging. The hits I got in were when he was distracted, and I don't think that would have happened if he felt I was threatening him."

Glynda nodded to herself, fingers drumming a beat on her leg. "He's extremely well-developed for his age. He drove a cutlery knife through one of the dining hall tables – as well as his tray. I'm pretty sure he wasn't even trying."

Qrow chuckled. "Yeah, that sounds about right. His strength is around level with a third year, but his speed is a few notches above even that. I can't wait to see how he turns out."

The blond looked at her compatriot out the corner of her eye, seeing an expression on the tall man's face that she'd never expected to encounter.

Pride.

"Well, I suppose we'll just have to see how your little protégé does with initiation. Honestly, I'm...a bit worried about his ability to interact with others." It was a concern she'd been harbouring for the past day or so. After all, almost everyone he had spoken to was introduced to him by either Qrow or Glynda, both of whom he trusted implicitly.

The only person he'd had a conversation with who _wasn't_ introduced to him had been Velvet Scarlatina – and while she was hardly a typical example of the people he'd be interacting with, she had obviously noticed that there was something fundamentally different about Jaune. If other students could sense that too...well, even among Huntsmen, the nail that stood up was the one that got hammered down.

"I get what you mean Glynda. There's a disconnect to him - his soul doesn't match his body. The person he is inside doesn't reflect on the presence he has outside."

The blonde nodded, resolving to keep an even closer eye on the young man. "Of course, he won't be the only childish applicant we have this year." She commented, and the Huntsman beside her groaned.

"Don't remind me. I can't believe Oz went and let Ruby into this place two years early. If she even gets scratched Taiyang'll be a goddamn nightmare." Shuddering at the thought of the waterworks, rage-induced rampages and moments of rock-bottom depression he'd have to endure should his younger niece get so much as breathed on (instead of going after the person who had done the breathing and putting a stop to it), the immaculately dressed Huntsman walked away into the daylight.

The kids would be arriving in a few hours, and he needed to get into position in the auditorium. Revenge was all the sweeter with front-row seats after all.

* * *

Jaune sat in a tree near the Beacon landing pads, enjoying the novelty of lying in the sun.

In the out-lands, just lying in one place and relaxing was _asking_ to be eaten, or worse. The sun just meant different Grimm were roaming, and that his supplies of water would be going down at an accelerated pace. Here, things were different. The sun meant it was the time for life, for learning, working and making friends.

It had literally been years since he could just lie back and enjoy sunlight like this...

He drifted off at some point, the peaceful motion of the branches in the wind and the warmth on his face working better than any lullaby. Even as the airships arrived and their passengers disembarked, the blond remained oblivious in his peaceful slumber.

Until, of course, something exploded. The sudden sound jolted him awake, and he immediately moved deeper into the tree's branches. Crouching in the shadows of the leaves, the young man cast his eyes around for the source of the disturbance.

In the cobbled area before him were two girls. Neither one was particularly tall, but that was almost the only similarity they shared. The shouty one's hair was kept long in a ponytail and was a pure white that seemed strange on such a young girl. She was wearing a white dress, although the evidence suggested it was lined in red. She looked kind of like a princess...a screechy princess.

The other girl was a brunette, although her hair seemed to shift from almost black to scarlet near its tips. It almost reminded Jaune of the few times he'd seen his own reflection during battle. Her dress sense certainly didn't fit in with his though. It was another dress, so far as he could tell. It was a bit poofier though, with more ruffles. Done in black and red, it matched the long red cloak that hung from the girl's shoulders and waved slightly in the wind.

Both were slightly singed, standing beside an area where the cobbles had been blown away. They seemed mostly uninjured though, even as the girl with white hair chided the brunette.

After a few moments, another brunette joined them. Unlike the one-piece ensembles of the others, this girl's outfit was composed of white shorts and a sleeveless white shirt, the latter partially hidden under a buttoned black vest with coattails. There was a sleeve over her left arm which was held in place by a metal band, none of her clothing seeming to have any colouration beyond black, white or silver. A weapon was barely visible on her back, underneath the curtain of black hair that fell toward her waist.

There was something familiar about her...it took a couple of seconds, but then Jaune noticed the highly suspect bow she was wearing atop her skull. _'_ _Ah – faunus. I guess she doesn't want people to know...'_

The blond had never understood that. Even at home, there had been a few faunus who preferred that people didn't know about their race. They hadn't been able to hide it from him, but he never talked about them anyway. His father had taught him that every action had a cause and a consequence, which meant that everyone had a reason for doing things.

Still, it was confusing. Jaune pondered the reasons while the white-haired girl went off in a strop. The faunus moved away too, leaving the brunette to fall to the cobbles next to the crater. She just lay there for a few moments, and the blond decided that he should probably check on her.

Dropping from the tree with a grace both natural and practiced, the young man jogged quickly over to where the small figure in scarlet was lying. "Are you...alright?" He asked, leaning over a bit to see the girl better.

She opened her eyes, and Jaune saw that they were a very interesting shade of silver. That was stirring something in his mind, but for now the girl lying in front of him was Jaune's concern.

"I'm okay, thanks. Just having a pretty sucky first day."

The blond nodded in understanding, as he knew from first-hand experience that being blown up wasn't much fun, and offered his hand. "So you are also a...student. It is nice to meet you, I am Jaune."

The girl eyed the extended appendage, before grabbing a hold and using it as a lever to stand again. "I'm Ruby. Thanks, Jaune."

The blond smiled. "It is not a...problem, Ruby. Do you need help...getting to the Auditorium?"

The younger girl eyed the blond in front of her with slight concern. The way he spoke...it wasn't natural at all. "Jaune, are you alright? I don't want to be rude, it's just that you're speaking a little weirdly..."

The blond froze on the spot, panicking a little. _'_ _I'm being weird? Oh, that's not good. Be normal Jaune, be normal...why couldn't I have talked to myself during the past seven years?'_

"I am...perfectly fine, Ruby. I am just a little out of...practice."

A raised eyebrow this time - a gesture Jaune was rapidly becoming re-acquainted with due to the time he'd spent around Glynda. "Out of practice...speaking? Are you a monk or something? Oh no, I'm not making you break a vow of silence am I?"

The blond's head tilted as he considered the girl in front of him. "No, I am not a...monk. I just had other things to do."

The brunette girl was giving him a very strange look now. _'I think my attempts to be normal are failing.'_

"Well, mind if I ask what was so important you stopped talking?"

The blond considered. Tell the truth, lie, or tell part of the truth? He didn't want to lie...but telling the truth would definitely be abnormal. Door number three then. "Training."

"Oh, I see...like one of those extra-long meditation sessions that the people in stories sometimes do. How long were you training?"

Ah, a simpler question. "Seven years."

The brunette blanched. _'_ _Oh. Maybe not so simple.'_

"You trained without speaking for seven years? You must be really good..."

The blond shrugged – a movement of which Qrow had reminded him the previous night. "I am not sure. I did not have a...partner to test...myself against."

The girl's eyes were sparkling now. That certain shade of gray, where moonlight and steel intersected, the colour of Luna Machaera beneath the stars... The more Jaune saw of it, the more he felt like those eyes should mean something to him...

"Oh, you didn't? Wow, you trained alone in silence for seven years...you're just like one of the heroes from my stories! Hey, can I see your weapon? I know a lot of people think they're kind of personal, but there's just so many types, and it would be a shame to lock a weapon away and never let it meet new people..."

As Ruby kept talking, Jaune reached his right arm back over his shoulder, unsheathing Luna Machaera. "This is Luna Machaera." He told her.

 _Technically,_ he wasn't deceiving her. She was just making an assumption that, based on the action he took directly after she asked a question, Luna Machaera was the weapon he had spent the last seven years training with, despite that being a falsehood.

Jaune didn't know that, though. He was just trying to change the subject.

The blade caught the light from the sun just as much as it did the light from the body from which its name was derived. As the wind passed over the steel, it almost seemed to sing. Truly, it was a beautiful example of deadly force.

Ruby seemed to agree, as she let out a long "Oooooooh..." as she examined it. "She's beautiful..." She murmured, gently reaching out one hand and running a finger along the steel, the barely-there friction of her skin and the steel adding another note to the harmony of the weapon's song. Jaune nodded happily, glad to see _someone_ appreciated his weapon.

"She is, is she not?" He asked more to himself than to her, not really noticing how Ruby looked up at his agreement, or how her eyes flickered with recognition.

"I have no idea what her name means," she admitted, "but it's still a good name. Thanks for showing me, Jaune."

The blond re-sheathed his blade, deciding that she probably wouldn't want to see the second part of his arsenal. He hadn't named it, yet - he'd have to do that at some point...

Presented with an opportunity to broach her favourite conversation topic, Ruby reached for the small of her back. With a click, the younger girl retrieved what looked like a very bulky red rifle. The blond watched it in interest, and then a moment later, awe, as the weapon expanded to its full glory.

A long, dark shaft that could almost serve as a Bo staff in and of itself. Placed on its upper half were the trigger assembly, scope and magazine for a firearm of some kind, while capping its foot was a wicked spike.

But what truly drew his eye was the crescent-moon scythe blade, framed on the outside by scarlet metal, which hooked forward like a talon. It was mirrored on the other side by a much smaller blade with a much sharper curve, and the two were conjoined by the weapon's barrel, beside which was a rotating component which almost looked like an eye.

"This is my baby, Crescent Rose."

Walking forward, Jaune could see his own reflection in scythe's steel. The sun glinted on its edge, and just like Luna, the blade almost seemed to _purr_ as he ran a hand along it, gently. It reminded him of a big cat - powerful and proud of it, happy to be acknowledged. A King in its own little kingdom - or a Queen. _  
_

"She is beautiful..." He told Ruby quietly, most of his attention on the weapon in front of him instead of its wielder, who was caught between preening and jumping up and down for joy at finally having found someone who shared her mania. "Also...terrifying," he added. "But beautiful."

When he turned back to Ruby, the girl was wearing a massive smile. "Isn't she just?" She asked, not really expecting an answer. "She's also a fully customizable, high-impact sniper rifle."

"... _Absolutely_ terrifying." He corrected himself, getting a small laugh from Ruby as her weapon returned to its more compact form.

"Thanks, Jaune - from Crescent too." Looking around for a moment, she turned back to Jaune with a somewhat sheepish look. "Um...I don't suppose you could show me where the auditorium is?"

Realising that they'd been standing here and talking for an inadvisably long time, the blond immediately turned toward the building where the first years were assembling. "Follow me, Ruby." He called, before taking off at a decently-paced run. A few moments later, Jaune was pleased to discover that the girl could keep pace with him - just as Ruby found herself more and more overjoyed. The first nice person she'd met at Beacon, and he appreciated Crescent Rose. Plus, he could keep up with her!

Her delight grew as Jaune started pouring on more speed, and she matched him, enjoying as always the sheer feeling of _speed_. Both were a bit disappointed that they didn't have time to get up a really good speed though, since they had to slow down to enter the building where Ozpin was to address the new students.

Heading inside, the small figure in red looked about for a moment before spotting a waving hand. "Ah, that's my sister. It was nice meeting you Jaune – see you around!" The younger girl ran to meet up with her sibling, and the blond identified an empty space to stand in near the back wall.

The room was full of people, almost all of them speaking to each other. The level of background sound was incredible for someone who had become used to periods of dead silence and pitched battle. Also incredible was the constant motion – he kept having to stop himself reflexively freezing in place when something moved out the corner of his eye.

He took deep breaths, reminding himself that this was just like being in the dining hall. Only Glynda wasn't here, he didn't know anybody apart from a girl who apparently had about as much skill making friends as he did and his broken speech pattern was ruining any attempt to appear normal.

This wasn't really like being in the dining hall at all.

Up on the stage, he recognised Glynda and Ozpin as the latter moved forward to the microphone. He looked...strange. Like he wasn't all there...

"Hey kid. Make any friends yet?"

Jaune almost jumped out of his skin when Qrow spoke from directly beside him, having completely missed his approach. "I...believe I have made a friend." He told the Huntsman. "She does think I am...weird however."

The Qrow nodded sagely to himself. "You're unique, there's no question about it. Just keep working on her – true friends work around things like your speech. But if she seems shallow, drop her like a hot coal." Wisdom of the ages thus imparted, the taller man looked to his old friend on the stage.

"Qrow, is...something wrong with Headmaster Ozpin? He seems...strange." An evil chuckle met his question, and the blond turned to find his mentor grinning like a shark.

"Oh, there's nothing wrong with him. I just added a little something to his coffee, that's all." Jaune didn't seem to believe that...but that was fine. The coffee's natural effects would counter the copious amounts of alcohol Qrow had placed in the beverage...

But people were going to be discussing this induction speech for years to come.

The elder Huntsman leaned back a bit, grinning to himself.

 _'Hah. Put THIS on one of your memos, Oz.'_

* * *

After the speech was over, students filed out of the hall to store their weapons. As he walked out of the auditorium, Jaune heard someone calling his name.

Turning around, he found himself looking at Ruby, who was waving from not far behind. Stepping out of the coursing river that the new students were currently forming, the blond waited for her to approach. Behind her was a taller girl, and his eyes were immediately drawn to the cascade of sunlight falling about her shoulders - which he realised, a moment later, was her hair.

 _'What possible reason could anyone have for having hair that long...?'_ He thought to himself, even as the small figure in red finally reached him, older girl in tow.

"Hey again, Jaune. This is my sister, Yang."

The older girl, Yang, extended a hand. "Nice to meet you, Jaune. I hear you rescued Ruby from a crater?"

Yang was quite a bit taller than her sister, standing half a head shorter than Jaune himself. Lilac eyes were set in a confident face, the skin obviously as well cared for as the hair. Her dress sense was all asymmetrical, with almost everything being different on her right than on her left. The brown jacket she wore stopped at her midriff, the puffy sleeves held firm at her forearms by buttoned cuffs. The jacket covered a simple yellow crop top with the black image of a burning heart on the left side.

She was wearing black shorts, which were only really visible from the front. Behind her, a skirt of the same material which composed Yang's jacket hung down in a diagonal fringe. It was attached to a belt that encircled her waist, which also supported a pouch and a panel of that brown material which bore the same design as her shirt, in gold instead of black.

While Ruby cried plaintively that it had only been a small crater, Jaune took the proferred hand. He knew what to do now, and he shook it while maintaining a decent pressure.

The girl facing him seemed surprised, though Jaune wasn't sure why. _'_ _I thought shaking hands was normal...oh no, have I gone and looked weird again?'_ The blond wasn't certain, but either way the look of surprise faded quickly.

"I am not sure rescued is the...correct word to use here. I only...offered a...helping hand." Yang frowned as he spoke. _'_ _Damn speech pattern!'_

"Wow, I guess Ruby was telling the truth about you being out of practice. Come on, you're with us. If I can pull a conversation out of a rock, I can pull one out of you." She began to move forward, Jaune and Ruby following along.

"You can pull a...conversation out of a rock?" Jaune asked curiously.

"Not literally – just a figure of speech, Jaune." The young man huffed a bit.

"I...dislike figures of speech. They are...ambiguous." They really were...it was hard enough to match words to their meaning during conversations. Adding whole new meanings to those same words _at the same time_ was just unfair.

"Well, don't worry then. I prefer the direct route with most things anyway. Now come on, let's stow this gear – I'm hungry!"

* * *

A couple of hours later, Jaune lay on his back in the ball room. He was staring up at the ceiling, and at the interesting patterns which had been painted onto it. The day rolled past once more in his head, from the early morning's sparring with Qrow to eating dinner with Ruby and Yang.

The blonde sister was loud...but she was also friendly, and had been surprisingly serious at times. There was more to her than had first appeared, and Jaune was glad that he had met her.

The younger sister was quieter, preferring to eat instead of talk. It was a big change from how she had been when they were talking about weapons, but he recognised the shyness instantly. It wasn't so dissimilar to how he himself had been only days before, and in some ways still was. After all, he hadn't actually managed to approach someone until they'd needed help.

Still, when she did speak it was often either hilarious or adorable, and Jaune could appreciate either one.

 _'I made two friends...'_ He thought happily. _'I_ _didn't expect it to go this well.'_ The patterns on the roof still held his eyes, though his attention had gone elsewhere. Back to the conversation between he and Qrow, while they were taking a break during sparring...

* * *

Panting heavily, the blond fell into a sitting position on the grass. Moments later, his mentor did the same. He wasn't breathing anything like as heavily, but he was still needing more air than normal. "That was much better Jaune, _much_ better. Your evasion skills are already beyond my ability to improve, and your precision's been increasing all night. I'm impressed."

Though it was difficult to speak while Jaune tried to pull in as much oxygen as human lungs could possibly contain, he still managed a smile and a "Thanks."

Leaning back, Qrow looked to the stars. "Jaune...do you mind if I talk to you about something serious?"

The blond paid immediate attention, his breathing beginning to calm. "I do not...mind. What is it, Qrow?"

"It's about Lailah." Dark eyes were focussed on blue, but Jaune wasn't sure why.

"You just want to talk...about Lailah? You only have to ask, Qrow."

Sighing to himself, the veteran Huntsman picked up where he'd just left off. "Okay Jaune, listen up cause I'm only gonna tell this story once. A long time ago, Ozpin got hold of a book. In that book, there were four names. Barbiel, Malahidael, Cassiel...and Lailah."

The blond leaned forward in curiosity, and Qrow continued. "A few years after that, Oz and I went chasing after...a good friend of ours, who we thought was in trouble. But when we caught up with them, we ended up fighting the person with them - someone who called themselves Cassiel."

He let out another deep breath, fingers twitching for his canteen. "They were really, really strong. We lasted a while, but in the end they actually managed to beat Oz and I together."

Jaune couldn't help the way his eyes widened at that admission. In his mind, both the Headmaster and his rescuer seemed utterly invincible. Qrow seemed untouchable, like a shadow with a blade, while Ozpin...Ozpin seemed like a hurricane on a leash. There was something about him that made Jaune think that there was a whole mountain of trouble behind the curious eyes and raised eyebrows.

The fact that someone had beaten both of them was incredible, and he leaned forward even further to make sure he didn't miss anything.

"After that, Oz and I spent a lot of time looking into the three remaining names. We've had absolutely no luck since the search began...until you, Jaune. Until you said Lailah's name in that office, we hadn't had a single clue for years and years."

Moving over to his young training partner, the older Huntsman placed his hands on the boy's shoulders. "So, Jaune, I need you to make me a promise. I need you to promise that under _absolutely no circumstances_ will you ever let Lailah come out at Beacon." He had stopped then, to make sure his dark eyes were fully locked with blue. "You understand, Jaune? I need you to promise to me that Lailah will _never_ be free around this school. Can you make that promise?"

The blond had sat in silence for a minute or two. Lailah had always been with him – a guardian, and a last resort. Telling Qrow he wouldn't free her was essentially saying he would discard his safety net. Was it worth it?

Blue eyes scanned the darker ones still locked with his own, alongside the weary and time-worn face in which those dark eyes rested. "...Alright. I do not like this, but I...promise I will not use Lailah at Beacon."

With those words, a massive weight seemed to have lifted from his mentor's shoulders. "Jaune, that means a lot to me. Now come on, up on your feet – if we're abandoning your semblance and...backup, we really need to focus on your swordsmanship. Now, when you're ready..."

* * *

The blond yawned, disrupting his own thoughts. Initiation was in the morning...he should get some sleep. He turned over in his sleeping bag, and went out like a light.

* * *

In the shadows of the ball room, Qrow stood watch over his charge. He was thinking about that conversation too...but his thoughts centred more on what Jaune had said after the sparring, when Qrow had asked him who Lailah was.

 _"Lailah is like a big sister. A big sister for the whole world, who's really angry because someone made her sibling cry. All she wants is to set things right again..."_

Those words had stuck fast with the Branwen. A big sister for the whole world...

He remembered Cassiel. He remembered his own feeling of burgeoning hopelessness, as his own strength and skill proved to mean absolutely nothing in the face of that overwhelming, _burning_ power. He recalled the feeling of despair which had swept over him when Ozpin, the man whom almost all of Vale used as the measuring stick for power, one of only twelve SSS-Rank Huntsmen in history, had been beaten to his knees...

There was too much they didn't understand. Too many gaps in the knowledge.

But he'd just have to live with it. Jaune might hold the answers to all those questions...but that didn't change anything. He was a kid who'd suffered more than he should have had to, and Qrow would be damned if he just walked away. With Monty as his witness, this kid would fulfill his dream. He'd rise up like the sun – not fall like a star.

He'd never let that happen – not again.

* * *

 ***The class designatons refer to the number of the Grimm required to constitute a real threat to an established settlement. Horde Grimm, such as Boarbatusks and Beowolves, would require at least 1000. Battalion Grimm, such as Ursai, would require at least 500. Herd Grimm, such as King Taijitu and Creeps, would require at least 250. Pack Grimm, such as Deathstalkers, would require at least 100. Squad Grimm, such as Goliaths, would require at least 25. And finally, Paladin Grimm are so named because they can potentially wipe out an established settlement entirely on their own.  
**

 **Author's Note**

 **And here's another chapter for you guys. The support for this story is...well beyond what I ever expected. I'm both touched and amazed by the interest you've all shown, and I really appreciate it.**

 **I hope you enjoyed reading this even partially as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you have any comments or criticism, please leave a review and I'll be sure to get back to you. Enjoy your day!**


	4. IV - The Dawn

03/12/2016 - Several alterations and revisions to comply with the previous edits.

* * *

Jaune rose with the sun, his head rising from the floor just as the first rays of light were cresting the horizon.

There was no protracted time between sleep and wakefullness - he simply switched gears. The same could not be said of the rest of the room's occupants, as they were still fast asleep. _'_ _Ah...I guess this is a habit I don't need any more.'_

People here didn't have to wake up at the crack of dawn or the day's end, to make sure they could travel the most distance that day/night. People here didn't actually need to travel anywhere – because this was their destination. _'_ _It's mine too.'_

Still, seven years of early mornings weren't going to vanish overnight. The blond reasoned that waking up early wasn't really a bad thing...in fact, it might be helpful. He didn't believe in such things as unlimited food sources – surely there must only be so much breakfast to go around? There were lots of people eating, after all.

So, by that logic, the first person to the dining hall would be able to eat as much as they wanted. Course of action decided, Jaune got to his feet and regarded his surroundings. The floor was almost covered in slumbering teens, males and females separated by a distinct line.

Effortlessly maneuvering through the minefield of snoring bodies, Jaune found his way out of the room. Following the same corridors as the night before, he found the dining hall again only five minutes later.

Wandering inside, he found that there were already a few people there. Including... "Yatsuhashi!"

The towering second year, currently without his armour or weapon, looked up at the call. "Jaune." He nodded in acknowledgment of the underclassman's presence, taking a momentary break from his eggs and bacon.

The younger man quickly assembled a tray and crockery as Glynda had shown him, left hand effortlessly balancing the metal rectangle while he placed a bowl and plate on it. A quick raid of the foods on display yielded a bowl of fruits and a massive pile of what the nice men in white hats had called 'pancakes'. He also grabbed a mug of brown liquid near the end – Qrow had called it 'coffee', and most of the people he knew seemed to drink it.

His sustenance attained, Jaune made his way over to the table currently seating the older youth. He remembered just in time to collect a knife, fork and spoon, reaching out with one hand to select the pieces.

From his seat, Yatsuhashi found one of his eyebrows rising. The blond was fetching cutlery with one hand...and with the other, he was supporting and balancing a tray piled high with pancakes, fruit and a mug. This wouldn't be so strange for a second year student...but even he would have had a little trouble doing that _without looking at the tray._

Once prepared for his war on breakfast, Jaune took a seat across the table from the second year. He immediately started on the pancakes, savouring the sweetness. Most of the things he had found to eat in the out-lands were either tasteless or bitter. The sheer number of sweet things Beacon had on offer was astounding.

Velvet's partner watched with what was fast approaching incredulity as the mountain of pancakes started to vanish into the gaping maw that was Jaune's mouth. He went through almost half the stack in two minutes, before reaching down to the mug beside him. He lifted it to his mouth, taking a swig of the contents...and froze.

It was creepy – every single muscle in the youth's body seemed to instantaneously go to full power, resulting in the kind of stillness normally associated with inanimate objects. He held that position for a full five seconds, and Yatsuhashi was debating whether or not he should call the infirmary when movement returned.

Laying the mug down slowly, the look in those blue eyes was...euphoric. This was the look of a man who had woken from the best dream ever, and then realised that it was actually his life.

"Yatsuhashi, I...understand." The words were spoken slowly, reverentially. The look on the blond's face echoed the sentiment, as he regarded the mug with the kind of expression normally reserved for God and mothers.

"You understand?" The second year certainly didn't, and he was fairly sure he didn't want to. But some morbid curiosity compelled him to ask, even as those blue eyes met his own dark ones. They shone like diamonds.

"Why...everyone drinks this 'coffee'. It is like..." Jaune started grasping at the air, as if trying to pull words from the sky and into his mouth. He didn't even seem frustrated – this wasn't the pause of someone unused to language. This was what happened when a language simply didn't have the capability to properly describe something.

Still, there was something fairly close. "It is like...being awake...and then...waking up again." Having expressed himself as much as necessary, Jaune lifted the mug again.

Looking on, Yatsuhashi was reminded of the look on Coco's face when she first saw Beacon's supplies of ammunition. _'_ _This is an obsession in the making,'_ he realised. He sighed. _'_ _Beacon's going to need bigger coffee orders again.'_

That was saying something, considering the popularity of the drink. The majority of the student body tended to have more caffeine in their blood than oxygen, particularly after first year. If it weren't for the fact that Ozpin was just as hooked on the drink as any student, it would doubtless have been outlawed as an addictive substance years ago.

"You had never had coffee before?" Asked the giant, wondering how the blond had reached his current age without at least trying the stuff.

The younger man froze again, the last of his drink making its way to his stomach. _'_ _Coffee must be a common drink...'_ "No, there was...none where I...come from." Jaune quickly realised that he'd made a mistake with that response.

"I see. Where do you come from, Jaune?" That was a question with no good answer. The truth would draw attention, lying would doubtless be noticed and he didn't have any convenient half-truths. _'_ _Wait...maybe if I use the same thing I told Ruby...'_

"Training." That worked, didn't it? If the younger girl had accepted training as a reason for not speaking, surely it would work as a reason for not knowing what coffee was...

"I see." Yatsuhashi replied, scooping more egg off his plate and shoving it in his mouth. That answer was obviously a deflection, especially after that panicked look on the youth's face when the swordsman asked the question. _'_ _Where has he been that he would try and lie to cover for it? Or rather, where has he been where he would lie about it, but still be such an awful liar?'_

Interesting but, ultimately, none of his business. He'd helped the kid forge a weapon, that didn't make him responsible for him. He had his own things to deal with, after all. _'_ _I should finish. Coco will need waking up after last night.'_

CFVY's leader had been up late trying to fabricate a make-shift pillow, when it turned out that someone had replaced the stuffing in hers with rocks. Fox had taken the blame for that...but the tall swordsman couldn't help but think that the small grin on his partner's face was far more damning than the red-head's track record.

"Well Jaune, I should get back to my team. I hope your initiation goes well."

The blond nodded around a mouth full of pancakes, swallowing the mass of food before replying. "Thank you Yatsuhashi. Have a good day."

Nodding in acknowledgment of the well-wishing, the giant returned his tray to the furthest end of the serving area for cleaning. Moving out of the hall, he glanced back over his shoulder to the strange young man near the back of the room.

The look on his face was largely inscrutable...but ever so slightly thoughtful.

* * *

Jaune completed his breakfast in good time, eyeing his empty mug sadly. The ambrosia within had been unlike anything he'd had before, and he couldn't wait to try it again.

Still, that would have to come with his next meal. For now, the blond carried his tray to the place Glynda had told him they went once used. Laying the metal on the rack, with the dishes set on a separate one nearby, Jaune left the dining hall.

Outside, the sun was still rising. The darker blue of the night was giving ground before the dawn, light spilling forth like a coursing flood.

No matter how many times he saw it, Jaune always loved that sight. It reminded him of good times - times long gone. The bad times were gone too though, so maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. After all, these were new times. Beacon was a whole new life, and Jaune could do whatever he wanted with it. For the first time in years, he _had_ time. More time than he knew what to do with, really. Perhaps he should spend it with friends? He had already made two, after all.

Ruby and Yang...they were kind to him, offering him a place to eat with them and not drawing any further attention to his speech after their first meeting. He should try and repay their generosity...

Inspiration struck, and the blond smiled to himself. Yes, that would work.

He turned around, racing back into the dining hall. Collecting a tray and two plates, he piled both high with pancakes and grabbed two mugs of coffee. Food secured, the blond retrieved some cutlery and took off out of the hall, quickly crossing the courtyard to the building where he had spent the night, moving inside and retracing his steps from a quarter hour before.

Entering the ballroom, the blond looked around for a moment in search of his friends. It only took seconds for him to spot the combination of yellow and red in close proximity, and he examined the route he would need to take. Holding his tray with both hands, Jaune moved past dozens of sleeping girls until he reached the two sisters. Settling into a cross-legged position between the two, he resolved to wait until they woke up before presenting them with the food.

As he sat there however, someone else rose from among the many sleeping forms. The movement caught his attention immediately, and he examined the figure as it looked around.

Female, quite short, orange hair. Light blue eyes, a bit unfocussed at the moment. It was...sniffing?

The eyes opened fully moments later, the girl fixing her attention on the blond sitting a ways across the room. Or, more accurately, on the tray in front of him.

Licking her lips, the girl leapt from her sleeping bag in an arc that carried her over the slumbering students between her and her prize. A highly impressive feat, considering that there was a separation of several metres, and she was going from a standing start. Jaune watched with a frown as the girl reached for the breakfast in front of him.

Just before she landed, he stood up. Catching the shorter figure by the shoulders, he frowned at it while holding the girl in the air. "Not for you." He stated firmly, his own blue eyes meeting hers.

The girl frowned back at him, apparently unconcerned about being held at arm's length. "Oh come on, not even a couple? They smell really good..." Her gaze moved from the blue eyes in front of her to the delicious food resting near Jaune's feet.

"Go to the...dining hall. It has...pancakes." The blond thought that this would solve the issue immediately. He was, however, incorrect.

"But they're in the dining hall, and those are here. Nearby pancakes are better than far-away pancakes." Jaune blinked.

"They are?" He asked in confusion, not understanding how proximity would affect the quality of food.

The girl he was currently suspending by the shoulders seemed to consider it. "Hmm...I suppose they're better since they're easier to get. But far-away pancakes make you work for it...so maybe they're actually better, since you need to do more to get them?" Blue eyes closed as the girl hummed, bringing her right hand up to her chin.

"I've decided. I shall try far-away pancakes today, and I'll have Ren make nearby pancakes tomorrow. I shall call it the Great Pancake Experiment!" Her course of action set, the warrior finally seemed to notice her situation.

"Could you put me down now? I need to go and hunt the far-away pancakes." Jaune set her down after a moment's thought, and she immediately started to move back to where she had been so she could collect her clothes. After a few steps, she turned around to face the blond.

"Since you helped me make such an important decision, I guess we're friends now. I'm Nora – what's your name?" Surprised at the sudden declaration of friendship, it took Jaune a moment to respond.

"My name is Jaune. It is nice to meet you Nora."

Nora nodded to herself. "Jaune. I'll remember that. Now then, time for pancakes~!" Skipping away happily, the fact that she didn't step on any of her classmates was miraculous.

Still, the conversation had apparently been enough to wake the sisters. Groaning blearily, both sat up in their sleeping bags. "What's going on...Dad, did Zwei bring a Beowolf home again...?" Silver eyes managed to focus, allowing the younger girl to recognise the figure currently towering above her. "Jaune...?" She asked, yawning hugely.

The blond nodded, returning to a sitting position. "Yes Ruby, it is me."

Rubbing at her eyes, the scythe-wielder realised that there was a delicious smell coming from next to her. "Jaune...did you bring food?" She asked, looking down to discover twin mountains of pancakes with mugs of coffee.

The blond nodded happily, quite pleased with himself. "Yes. You were both...very kind to me. So, I...brought pancakes and coffee."

The younger girl smiled blearily at the figure seated next to her. "You didn't have to, Jaune...but thank you."

Yang had been waking up while the two exchanged words, and thus had the gist of the situation by the time she entered the conversation. "Breakfast in bed, eh? You're a real lady killer, Jaune."

Her fellow blonde cocked his head sideways. "Lady...killer? I have not...killed anyone."

Yang sighed to herself while she got into a sitting position, claiming one of the plates from the tray. "It's another figure of speech, Jaune. It means someone who's good at attracting women."

The young man seemed to consider this, frowning slightly. "That is...interesting. I was...always told that I was not very good with women."

The brawler chuckled to herself, taking a delicious bite of breakfast goodness. "Well, I'd disagree. Ruby, if you don't do anything I might just have to poach him."

Yang's little sister was taking a drink of coffee when the blonde spoke, and began to splutter and choke at the comment. When she was back in control, she gave her older sister a look somewhere between 'glare' and 'pleading'. "Yang, don't tease him like that. He brought us pancakes!"

The chuckling from the elder sister continued, even as she gave her young sibling a massive grin.

Jaune watched in confused silence, trying to understand what was going on. He decided that it was probably a family thing, and made to stand up and give them space. However, a strong hand shot out and grabbed his ankle.

"Oh no, you ain't getting away that easy. You might have given us breakfast, but you also woke us up early. So, you've got to sit here with us and talk."

Ruby groaned at her sister's antics, the blonde girl's smile attesting to the complete ineffectiveness of the sound. Jaune thought that made sense, so he sat back down. "I understand. What do you want to talk...about?" He asked.

Playful lilac eyes flashed above a widening smile. "Oh, nothing important. Likes, dislikes, availability. You know, normal things."

Ruby started choking again, though Jaune didn't understand why. "Yang, I said don't tease him! We don't do things like this to people who feed us!"

The elder sister looked to her sibling with a look of playful shock on her face. "Tease him, dear sister? I was just wondering if he would agree to a sparring match later." Leaning forward, the blonde's grin reminded Ruby of a shark. "What were _you_ thinking about?"

With a blush and a squeak, the brunette hid her face behind the breakfast mountain. Her aim accomplished, Yang leaned back with satisfaction in her eyes. "Well, that's good to know. Just remember sis, he's two years older than you~"

Watching from between them, Jaune was pretty sure he could feel the heat from his younger friend's face. He looked back and forth between the furiously blushing brunette and the self-assured blonde, trying to employ knowledge of human interaction that he hadn't been good at even before his wandering days.

"I...do not understand." He admitted, arms folded and legs crossed.

"Yang here is trying to embarrass her sister by insinuating that she is romantically interested in you." Looking up from his contemplation, Jaune's blue eyes met amber. _'_ _Ah – it's the faunus who doesn't want people to know about her.'_

"Why?" He queried, the explanation making the 'what' of the situation clear enough. The black haired girl considered it for a moment, looking from the brawler to the scythe-wielder.

"I'd imagine it's because they're family. Teasing like this is common between siblings, or so I understand."

Jaune nodded, filing this away for future use. _'Perhaps it is only between female siblings? I don't remember my sisters doing this with me...'_ "I see." Standing up, the blond presented his hand to the girl. "Thank you for...helping my understanding. My name is Jaune, it is very nice to meet you."

The girl regarded the outstretched hand for a moment, then shook it. "Blake." She replied simply, and Jaune resolved to remember it. "Now then, since you've woken me up so early I'm going to go and eat. See you in initiation."

* * *

Walking away from the trio towards her own sleeping space, the black-haired warrior's thoughts swirled in her mind. _'_ _Why did I do that? I don't know him, I don't even really know the sisters. So why?'_

That was fairly simple, thinking about it. His stilted speech, innocent expression and lack of understanding...he was just like a child. The White Fang had once been full of children, and Blake had become used to the role of big sister.

It was one of the many things she had mourned with the passing of the White Fang she had once known.

* * *

Jaune watched Blake move away, his own thoughts on the reasons for the girl hiding her race. It still didn't make sense. In his mind, the faunus were as human as anyone, they just had a few animal traits as well. To Jaune at least, it had always made them seem more than human. If he'd been a faunus himself, he felt like he would have been proud of it.

 _'There is a cause and a consequence for everything...so to understand the action, I need to understand its cause.'_ He'd ask Qrow about it, when he got a chance. His mentor was a Huntsman, so he'd probably know about these things.

"Jaune, you're not checking her out are you? Don't be breaking my sister's heart now!" Yang's laughter was cut off by a Ruby-shaped projectile wrapping itself around her head, remaining pancakes forgotten in the pursuit of vengeance.

The young man watched on in complete bemusement as the two wrestled, not once leaving the relatively tiny space they'd claimed. Yang was obviously the stronger of the two, but Ruby treated her sister like a climbing frame. It was...ridiculous. But at the same time, highly entertaining.

Jaune found himself giggling as he watched, a sound he hadn't had many chances to make in years gone by. It felt good to laugh again.

The sisters didn't seem to appreciate it however, as the two stopped immediately to look at the chuckling observor. They shared a look, then mirrored each other as they grabbed their pillows. The two projectiles just bounced off the youth, but he did fall over...his hands pressed over his mouth, as he tried to contain the mirth they had elicited from him.

Just watching him in the throes of laughter, the two sisters couldn't help but follow suit. The three lay on the floor, trying to contain the gales of laughter breaking free of their lungs. They stayed like that for a few minutes, until they were finally back in control.

From his spot on the floor, Jaune smiled at the ceiling. "Yang, Ruby. Thank you for this. I have not...laughed like this in a long time."

The rustle of fabric heralded the arrival of silver eyes, as Ruby patted the blond's shoulder. "Well that's no good. I guess you'll just have to stay with us and laugh some more." Blue eyes met silver, and they stayed that way for a long moment.

Then Jaune's smile widened even further. "I...suppose I do not have a...choice." The smile on the brunette's face matched his own, and Jaune experienced the same sensation as he had when first meeting Ruby. _'_ _What is it about those eyes that makes me feel like this...'_

"Okay, bit too close there." Reaching over to her little sister, Yang bodily picked her up and shifted her back to the red sleeping bag. Jaune rolled himself to his feet, turning around to look at the sisters. Ruby seemed to have realised how close the two of them had been, but was smiling through the blush.

Yang had fixed a scowl on her face...but her eyes didn't match the expression. "Don't get any ideas, lady killer. You want my sister, you have to go through me." The words earned the elder sister a thump from Ruby, but she didn't even seem to notice.

Jaune's smile glowed in the low light, the warmth of the scene something he had wanted since the day after he started wandering. "I understand, Yang. I will not try...anything." His fellow blonde started nodding, but the young man's smile grew as he continued.

"I will not try because I will...succeed." The look on Yang's face was a mix of shock and laughter – the look on Ruby's was...well, Jaune couldn't tell. The younger sister was apparently trying to bury herself in her sleeping bag.

Before Yang could respond, Jaune left the hall at a decent speed. For him, at least.

 _'I can't do anything less than succeed...'_ He thought to himself. _'If I'm going to be as strong as Qrow, if I'm going to achieve my dream...then I cannot fail!'_

* * *

To the watching sister, the blond imp went from being crouched in front of them to out of the door like the wind itself. Blinking in shock, she couldn't do anything but shake her head. Looking down to Ruby, she found that the younger girl had turned as red as her weapon. She really shouldn't...but on the other hand...

"There's hope for you yet, sis – your first crush actually likes you back." She earned a massive barrage of thumps for her trouble, but the blonde's attention was on the door. _'_ _Jaune...we don't know his last name, or where he comes from. He says he gave up speaking for training, and he's always curious about things...plus, he's as fast as Ruby, and just as much of a weapon maniac.'_

The first thing Jaune had said upon seeing Ember Celica was that they had impressive 'fighting spirit'. That was, almost word for word, what Ruby had said the first time she brought the gauntlets home from Signal. A coincidence? Or was it, as Yang's sister-related paranoia liked to scream, something else?

The elder sister frowned slightly, casually locking the brunette into a headlock and rubbing her knuckles in her hair. _'_ _I'll need to know more about him before I let him get any closer to Ruby.'_

* * *

Jaune sat atop one of the stone constructs which enclosed Beacon's courtyard. They served no purpose other than decoration, as far as he could tell, but they were tall and they were flat. Thus, they were a seat.

He was cross-legged, thinking about what had happened in the ballroom. That sensation he got whenever he met Ruby's eyes...just what was it? It felt almost as if something inside him was moving, but he knew that his organs and bodily functions were all acting normally. And at the same time, the feeling seemed...detached from him somehow, as if he were experiencing it across a gap.

He had nothing to compare it to, and he was reluctant to speak about it - after all, how much more strange would he seem if he started talking about things even he didn't properly understand?

"I...guess I'm just weird." He sighed to himself, closing his eyes and feeling the wind in his hair.

"Well, no argument here." Qrow settled down beside his charge, cloak drifting slightly in the breeze. He knew the line was for his benefit – the blond had recognised him as soon as he set foot in the courtyard. "But weird's not a bad thing." He continued. "Weird's just another word for special, and I'd say that fits you pretty well."

The Huntsman watched Jaune's face flicker between emotions, the blond struggling to express himself. "But I don't...want to be special. I want to be...normal."

The older man sighed, laying a hand on his young friend's shoulder. "I know, kid. You didn't ask for what happened to you, and you sure as hell didn't deserve what you had to go through. But that's life. That suffering made you strong – hell, those fancy feet of yours can already give me a workout. One day, maybe someday soon, you might just be strong enough to work with me."

Jaune's gaze snapped to his mentor, blue eyes seeking darker orbs. "Really? I could work with you?"

Qrow nodded, meaning every word. "Jaune, you're a lot like me. More than you know, if I'm honest - and trust me, that doesn't happen often." He chuckled to himself, then continued. "Once you graduate Beacon, if you still want to work with me, there's nothing that'll make me say no."

The Huntsman got to his feet, looking down at his charge. "So don't worry about being weird. Some people might not understand, but I do. Tell me, do you think your friends understand too?"

Blue eyes turned to the ballroom, recalling how the sisters had acted so casually in his presence, and how he didn't feel the slightest bit like he shouldn't be there. "I do." He replied simply, and Qrow nodded.

"Then I'll leave you to them, for now at least. I'll see you after Initiation – you remember what we went over the other night?"

A nod from the blond, as he stood as well. "Alright then. Go out there and show them just what weird can do."

Blue eyes flashed, and Qrow found himself wrapped in a hug. "Thank you, Qrow." Came a quiet voice, and the veteran sighed.

"Yeah yeah, don't go crying on my shirt kid. I swear, I get enough of that with my nieces." Chuckling a bit, Jaune backed away from his mentor. With a big smile, he took off running for the edge of the stone structure. He leapt off with a somersault, rolling when he hit the ground. _'_ _Landed perfectly. He redirected most of the energy, and his aura took care of the rest.'_

As the blond made his way towards the locker room where Luna Machaera was stored, Qrow felt a small grin tugging at his lips. _'Heh. Maybe I should tell Peter he won't need to do his annual cull this year.'  
_

* * *

Jaune stared at the piece of paper in his hands, trying to decypher the meaning on it. _'_ _There aren't letters...so they're numbers.'_ Numbers...he remembered how to draw them, and he remembered that they meant how many of something there were.

 _'So, what are these ones...I think that's a six...and that's a three. So, six-three-six...'_ That didn't help very much. Presumably there were intervening numbers, but he couldn't quite recall them. The blond looked around the room full of lockers, a sinking feeling in his gut. _'_ _I'm going to need help...'_

Looking around for any kind of assistance, Jaune found that he was out of luck. Yang and Ruby were having a conversation, Blake was nowhere to be seen... _'_ _I'm on my own.'_

Taking deep breaths, the young man strode into the room. He quickly discovered that each locker had three numbers engraved on the front. _'Oh, s_ _o I just need to find the one marked six-three-six.'_ Breathing a sigh of relief at the realisation, Jaune went in search of his weapon.

He eventually found it at the room's far end, and entered the code that the paper told him to. The locker popped open, revealing Luna Machaera and the second part of his arsenal. Slipping the belt over his shoulder so that his weapon was slung across his back at a diagonal, Jaune reached inside and slotted the rest of the locker's contents on to his left arm.

Thus equipped, he closed the locker and turned around. Still no sign of Blake...Yang and Ruby were still talking. _'_ _This room is full of people...I should probably try and make more friends.'_ Glynda had urged him to keep practicing, and he'd had rather good luck so far. Maybe it would hold?

Scanning the space in front of him, the blond saw there were a couple of girls not far from the sisters. He recognised one of them as the shouty princess girl from the day before, but the other was new to him. _'_ _Okay. I'll just go up and introduce myself...maybe they'll be friendly.'_

Moving forward, the blond noticed that they had stopped speaking. A chance! "It is nice to meet you. My name is Jaune."

The white-haired girl seemed startled out of whatever thoughts she'd been entertaining, and turned sharply to look at the blond offering his hand. "...Jaune, was it? Jaune, do you know who I am?"

Well, that was a new response. The young man tilted his head, frowning as he leaned a bit closer. Delicate face, scar over the eye, odd hair colour. Would have been prettier without the haughty expression... "I am sorry, I do not...recognise you." He answered truthfully, nothing about the girl ringing a bell beyond catching sight of her the day before.

She blanched, taking a step back. "How...then, do you recognise her?" The girl gestured to her companion, a taller girl with red hair.

He stepped closer to that one, narrowing his eyes as he examined her face from different angles. Green eyes, really red hair. Her features were smoother than the other girl's, yet everything about her projected strength - a far cry from the rather formal poise in her companion. The armour she wore supported that idea of strength...and yet, none of it was familiar.

She was smiling a little, the expression natural on her. But, still nothing. "No, I do not...recognise her either." He gave the shorter girl an apologetic look. "I...apologise. Should I know?"

She certainly seemed to think so, as there was a strange look building on her face. Before she could speak, however, the red-head next to him spoke. "No need to apologise, Jaune. It's just a little surprising. I'm Pyrrha." Extending a hand, Pyrrha's smile grew as he took it.

He shook it, noticing the same expression of surprise on her face as had been on Yang's. "It is nice to meet you, Pyrrha." He let go of her hand, and she seemed to recover from whatever it was that had so surprised her.

"It's nice to meet you too, Jaune." She seemed to mean that, as he could see a light in her eyes.

"...You really don't know who she is, do you?" The blond realised he had been ignoring the white-haired girl, and he turned back to her as she spoke.

He was going to reply, but the girl beat him to it. "That's Pyrrha Nikos. Top graduate at Sanctum, four-time winner of the Mistral Regional Tournament, renowned throughout the four kingdoms as a combat prodigy!"

Jaune felt like he should be impressed...but he had absolutely no idea what this girl was talking about. "I...apologise again, but I do not know what those are."

He could hear Pyrrha smothering a laugh behind him, even as the girl he was currently facing took 'flabbergasted' to a whole new level. She spluttered, waving her arms around as she apparently tried to cope with the concept of such obliviousness. Her fit, however, was interrupted by Pyrrha.

"Weiss, I think we should probably get going. It can't be that long until Initiation starts."

The girl, Weiss, seemed to pull herself together. "You're right, of course, Pyrrha." Looking Jaune in the eye, Weiss fixed a stern expression on her face. "You should really stay more in touch with the world. Honestly, you'd think you lived in the out-lands. Not recognising Pyrrha Nikos..."

The girl turned too quickly to notice how Jaune abruptly froze, panic sweeping through him. She walked away, her rapier at her waist as she headed for the door leading to the Beacon cliffs.

Moments later, Pyrrha moved up beside the blond, who was still standing frozen. "Sorry about that...she didn't mean any harm. It was nice meeting you, Jaune." As the red-haired warrior moved away, sword and shield in hand, the young man remembered that he was supposed to reply.

"Likewise." He called after her, as he tried to himself back under control. He watched her go, Weiss' words still echoing in his head. He would need to try and get caught up with the world. He didn't want to attract attention, and not knowing about anything was, he realised, an easy way to get noticed.

Yang and Ruby walked up beside him, the latter noting how stiff he was. "Hey, Jaune? You alright?" A small hand reached out and squeezed his shoulder, breaking him out of his thoughts.

Looking down, Jaune recognised his brunette friend and smiled. "I am...perfectly fine, Ruby. I was just thinking." Looking from the younger sister to Yang, Jaune saw a strange look in her eyes for a moment. Then it was gone, as the fellow blonde gave him a clap on the back.

"In that case, come on lady killer. There's a difference between fashionably late and not turning up." As her two companions followed the brawler, the young man seemed to ponder her words.

"What is the...difference, Yang?" he asked, the use of 'fashionably' confusing him.

"Hell if I know." She replied, getting a massive sigh from both her fellow students. She took the moment to look over her shoulder at her fellow blonde. _'_ _So he didn't recognise Pyrrha Nikos or Weiss Schnee...'_

Yang wasn't sure how that piece of the puzzle went together with everything else she'd learned...but her drive to unravel the mystery of Jaune was growing.

* * *

Outside, the Beacon cliffs were lined with first years on metal plates. Ozpin and Goodwitch stood at the very end, next to the only three unoccupied plates.

Taking their positions, the trio turned to look at the Headmaster. "This year's Initiation will be taking place in the Emerald Forest," he informed them. "Once you land, find a partner and head to the north of the forest. A temple there contains several relics, enough for each pair to take one. Once they are secured, make your way back here to complete the task."

Taking a sip of his coffee, the Headmaster's slightly uninterested expression was suddenly serious. "Do not hesitate to destroy anything and everything in your path. This forest is full of Grimm, and our professors will not intervene. If you are careless, you _will_ die." Warning delivered, the Headmaster made to activate the plates.

His aide stopped him, clearing her throat. Looking to the blonde, realisation dawned on Ozpin's face. "Ah, yes."

Turning back to face the students, he added "Partners will be decided by eye contact. Whoever you lock eyes with first upon landing in the forest will be your partner for the next four years." as an afterthought.

The resounding cries of "WHAT!" that echoed from along the line were cut off as the first person in line was catapulted into the air. The launches moved down the line, each person devising their own way of landing.

When it was Ruby's turn, she gave Jaune a massive grin and a wink before take-off, soaring into the air like a bird. That left just the blond, who noticed that Ozpin was looking at him.

"Take care, Jaune. The Grimm in this forest will likely not prove a challenge for you, but this is your first time going into live combat with your new handicaps."

"I understand, sir." The teen told him, expression serious. "I will...remember my promise."

Nodding in acknowledgment, the Headmaster tapped his control pad. Jaune was launched into the sky like a rocket, following his friends.

From the cliff top, three figures watched. Qrow was standing in the shadows of the treeline, and his eyes remained fixed on the blond figure until it dropped out of sight.

 _'Alright, Jaune. It's time to show them what you can really do.'_

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **And here we go, Initiation is upon us. A lot of you were probably expecting it to happen this chapter, but I wanted to get some more ground-work in first. Is it me, or has Jaune interacted with a lot more people this time around? Oh wait, I suppose it really _was_ me. Huh.**

 **Anyway!**

 **Will Jaune be able to get by with only Luna Machaera? Who will he end up with as a partner? What is the second part of his arsenal? And can his past remain a secret in the face of a motivated Yang?**

 **Time will tell!**

 **I hope you enjoyed reading this even partially as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you have any comments or criticism, please leave a review and I'll be sure to get back to you. Enjoy your day!**


	5. V - All Roads

04/12/2016 - Several alterations and revisions to comply with the previous edits.

* * *

Jaune felt the wind rushing along his body, his arms tucked in and head down as he scanned the ground below. The forest rolled by at an incredible speed, and he couldn't help but smile. It had been a very long time since he'd found himself in this situation...

Still, memories weren't going to help him survive the impact he was seconds away from. No, he needed a landing strategy. Blue eyes looked forward to the approaching canopy, and a plan unfolded.

As soon as the blond entered the leaf-layer, he identified the branches which could support him at his current speed. The first candidate presented itself in less than half a second, and he grabbed it with both hands. He performed two rotations, losing a considerable amount of speed before moving on.

He grabbed the next branch in the same way, losing enough speed that he felt safe falling down to the lowest branch layer before grabbing another. Three more rotations, and he flipped off the branch into a roll-landing. Remaining in his crouch, the blond immediately did a full turn.

Three Ursai, now circling him warily and growling. He rose up, drawing Luna Machaera and holding it in both hands. He growled right back at the creatures, and one of them took the challenge, charging forward with a roar.

He ran to meet it, a small cloud of dust rising from where he kicked off the ground, and met its paw with his blade. The steel went straight through the appendage, severing it down the middle, but did not stop it. The blond ducked the remainder of the strike, frowning to himself as the wounded, howling Grimm fell over as it went past him. _'I can't block their strikes - Luna just cuts right through them._ _'_

The two other Ursai bellowed in rage, initiating charges of their own toward the blond. Jaune turned to meet them, running as if to move between them before flickering to the side when they struck, striking out with his own weapon. The creature to the left bellowed louder, its right forepaw having been removed entirely. _'I can't block them - but removing the striking part works just as well.'_

At this point, the initially injured Ursa was coming back with a vengeance, running on three feet and gnashing its teeth. Both of its companions, one running in a similar fashion, did likewise.

They approached from three directions at once, and Jaune narrowed his eyes as he kept track of them all. When they lunged, he stepped right into the middle one's charge, bringing his blade up toward the sky on a path through its skull.

The Ursa's head was bisected, killing it instantly, while Jaune spun to his right and brought Luna back down in an arc through the second Ursa's neck. Its head went rolling, and Jaune turned right again with the momentum, to where the third, and only uninjured, Ursa was rearing up on its hind legs, preparing to bring its full weight down on him.

It fell, Luna rose, and Jaune went sideways.

The beast roared once more, the sound gurgling with blood, as its body was opened from one end to the other. Jaune shook the liquid from his blade, and eyed the three dissolving Grimm. _'So the most effective strategy is await their attack and then strike at exposed weakpoints. Joints for limbs make optimal targets.'_

With that mental note, Jaune sheathed Luna, and looked around once more.

No more Grimm or fellow students were in evidence, and he oriented himself north according to the way the moss grew on the trees, then dashed off into the forest, barely disturbing the foliage as he moved.

He flowed through the greenery like a shadow, avoiding branches and using roots as stepping stones. He had oriented himself northward, as per Ozpin's instructions – now he just had to keep going. If all the students were going that way, he only needed to reach the relics to get a partner.

 _'I wonder who I'll end up with...I only know some of them. Ruby or Yang would be nice...but there's also Blake, or Pyrrha. I don't think Weiss likes me very much, so maybe not her...'_ The thoughts ran in the background of his mind, most of his attention focussed on the forest around him.

There were a few scattered Grimm along his path, but he only found a single case of there being more than one - a pair of Beowolves. They proved to be a more challenging unit than the Ursai, attacking in sequence to try and ensure he was unable to catch at least one of their attacks.

He hadn't been able to land a fatal strike until he ducked beneath one of their strikes, and realised that their entire undersides were easily accessible during a pounce due to the way they stretched out and the lack of armour on their undersides. Opening them up from neck to groin was, it seemed, entirely capable of ending them.

The forest didn't contain much wildlife, he noticed. All the evidence of disturbance was more in line with Grimm than fauna. Still, much as Ozpin had insinuated there was nothing to suggest that anything more threatening than an Ursa lived here. _'_ _I suppose that makes sense. Beowolves and Ursa were among what I learned first...so maybe they're what Huntsmen and Huntresses learn first too?'_

Throwing that idea on the heap of questions he wanted to ask Qrow when they had enough time for a decent conversation, the blond slowed when he was faced with a rock face. In that rock face was an opening that seemed to repel all light, leaving a yawning abyss instead. There were carvings beside it, and Jaune leaned forward to get a better look at them.

 _'They're pictures...that looks like a Deathstalker.'_ Eyeing the dark opening, the blond considered his options. _'_ _Killing Grimm wasn't part of the task...but I do need to get used to Luna Machaera, and if I leave it alive someone could get hurt.'_ Deciding that the creature's death best served everybody, Jaune drew his blade and approached the cave entrance.

Halting there, he seemed to consider something. Turning around and searching the ground for a moment, he found a decently sized rock. Hefting it in his left hand, he threw it up and down a couple of times to get a feel for the weight.

Preparation complete, Jaune took careful aim...then threw, his entire body going into the motion. The stone, which was the size of his head, flew like a bullet into the cave. Upon reaching the wall, the energy the throw had given it exceeded what the material could handle. It exploded, dust and fragments coating the cave floor.

It also gave off an unholy racket, which was Jaune's intention. A moment after the noise rang out, an earth-shaking roar answered it. Deathstalkers were passive hunters – they found lairs to hide in and used their tails as bait for prey. Since those lairs were their natural habitat, the blond had always avoided fighting them there.

So, he had developed the technique with trial and error. While they might be powerful, creatures of Grimm also tended to be instinctive. Thus, Deathstalkers reacted like any passive hunter when their lair was disturbed...they assumed dinner had come calling. Then they laid out the welcome mat.

Jaune retreated to a safe distance as a rumbling came from the cave's entrance, and seconds later it erupted as the massive creature exploded through the opening. He examined it with an expert eye, noting the density of the armour plating and the number of spikes. _'_ _It's quite an old one. Probably been around a couple of centuries.'_

Red eyes immediately came to rest on the young man who had dared disturb them, the creature's mass orienting itself for a charge. Blue eyes met the red, and the icy-cold fury that had driven him through much of his earlier years in the wastes started to burn in his blood. It had never faded – he had just become accustomed to it.

The Grimm could never be forgiven for what they had done to the people he'd cared for. So, Jaune had decided long ago that he would get his recompense in the creatures' blood. Until the day he died, or the day they died, he would continue to avenge his home. Like always, the words rose up to the forefront of his mind when he remembered his mission. _'_ _Honestly...she's such a worrier. It's only a Deathstalker.'_

Putting thoughts of his companion out of his mind and snarling a little, Jaune took the stance that Qrow had shown him. _'_ _Wide, and low to the ground. Both hands on the hilt, tip of blade level with eyes.'_

The earth trembled slightly beneath Jaune's feet as the Deathstalker charged, and he held his ground _._ He recalled the nearly two hundred times he had killed Deathstalkers. Of those, more than half had been under his own power. He recalled all the points where their chitinous black armour had chinks to allow movement, remembering that Luna worked best when aimed at such areas. _'Most of the lightly armoured points are non-fatal blows...but enough of them should do the job.'_

The monster led with its right claw, presenting an opening. Jaune spun forward, the natural weapon passing within an inch of his hoodie, then darted to the point where the limb joined the body. Flipping the blade in his hands so that the cutting edge faced the sky, he set himself as if he were going to lift something - then put all the power he could muster into an upward swing, Luna Machaera finding the weaker armour on the creature's underside.

His weapon went through the creature's flesh with only a hint of resistance, leaving the appendage to hit the ground. The Deathstalker let out an incredible shriek of pain, undoubtedly scattering lesser Grimm for miles around. Jaune just blocked it out though. The noise was nothing, compared to that day seven years ago.

It tried to skewer him with its tail, the bulbous yellow stinger moving at an incredible speed. Jaune simply sidestepped, allowing it to pass harmlessly. He had graduated from this creature's weight class years ago.

Since it had so kindly presented its tail, Jaune took a moment to examine it. At the point where stinger met tail, the chitin that covered most of the creature was noticeably absent. _'_ _Well, since it offered...'_ Jaune reassumed the stance Qrow had taught him, raising Luna Machaera above his head with a feral smile. A simple downward slash removed the horribly colourful weapon, and prompted another massive screech.

Feeling the air to his left being shunted aside, Jaune turned, then promptly leapt into the air as the left pincer passed through the space where he would have been, snapping shut as it did so. As he came back down, it swept into the equivalent of a backhand, and the blond met it with his feet. Using it as a platform and absorbing the extra force of the strike, he backflipped into a landing several metres away and set himself.

The Deathstalker powered toward its adversary, moving for another strike with its pincer while the tail began to move forward, without its stinger but still a bludgeoning weapon, ready to strike him from the air.

Instead, Jaune waited until the boney weapon was nearly upon him, then took one hand off his sword and moved into a handstand atop it.

The Deathstalker didn't know how to deal with that, and Jaune used its momentary distractedness to roll forwards, coming to stand atop the chitin of the limb, where he promptly drove Luna into a downward thrust. The tendons and various other biological components which controlled the limb went largely dead, and when Jaune tore the blade out of the side, the entire assembly was left holding on only by some rapidly-cracking exoskeleton.

The weight of the pincer's armour proved too much for the limb's remains, however, and the chitin shattered, leaving it to drop to the ground.

Another earth-shattering roar echoed forth, as Jaune hopped backwards from the severed pincer and faced his enemy, sans its three primary weapons.

Deciding that more was needed, Jaune crouched down, holding Luna low and to his side, then _moved_.

He flickered out of existence for a moment, rematerialising at the other end of the Deathstalker's body, Luna raised high. A half-second later, all four of the legs along that side of the body fell away in spurts of blood, and the creature suddenly fell sideways, unable to support itself.

As the dying body spasmed from shock, Jaune took the same stance again and repeated his actions, severing the four remaining limbs. All that now remained were the tail and the head, both of which boasted impressive armour plating that Jaune didn't want to test Luna against.

Taking several steps back, Jaune admired his handiwork. The creature was still rocking back and forth, trying to manipulate limbs that no longer existed. However, those movements were slowing down, so it would probably die soon.

 _'So I might not be able to straight-up kill them, but disabling them works just as well. Not to mention it's far closer to what they deserve.'_ The blond tilted his head slightly as he committed the new knowledge to memory, then gave the semi-corpse one last glare. Flicking his blade to remove the creature's blood, he returned the weapon to its sheathe.

The ache in his chest began to die away, the object of his rage no longer a valid target. He sighed to himself as he turned to resume his northward run. _'_ _I suppose I really do have a lot to learn about swordfighting. I'll have to ask Qrow about dealing with armour...'_

* * *

Standing on the cliff, Glynda Goodwitch was holding her control panel with an expression of open shock. Jaune had deliberately provoked one of the oldest Grimm in the Emerald Forest - and he had done so, apparently, so he could have a test subject.

She rewound the footage, checking the time stamps as the boy dismantled the monster that would have taken a team of first years some serious effort to defeat. _'_ _Eight seconds...he killed it in eight seconds...'_

The elder blonde looked over to Ozpin, who she knew had been watching with her. His face was utterly inscrutable, with not a single clue existing as to what he was thinking. A sound from behind her alerted Glynda to the third member of their viewing party, who was moving over to join them. "Qrow...I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. What do you make of this?"

The Huntsman didn't even look at the control panel, having been watching Ozpin's from the treeline. "He did pretty much what I expected. He avoided the armour, waited for opportunities, and exploited visible weakpoints. All things he already knew, but adapted to fit his new weapon. He's learning - and fast, too."

"I can't help but find it hard to believe...a seventeen year old just killed a two-centuries old Grimm with nothing but a sword."

Now the veteran's face revealed a smile as he looked at the control panel, currently showing a blond figure as it made its way northward. "Yes. Yes he did." He didn't say anything else...but he didn't really have to.

 _'I think that I might have to make some changes to the combat course this year,'_ Goodwitch noted.

Ozpin meanwhile was staring at a still shot of the young blond. More specifically, at the look on his face. While he had taken that monster apart, piece by piece...he had smiled. _'_ _The boy harbours an incredible hatred for the Grimm...entirely understandable.'_ He took a drink from his thermos, which had been carefully drained and its contents re-made once Qrow revealed his little 'joke'.

 _'I just hope he doesn't take that hate into every combat scenario.'_

* * *

Pyrrha Nikos made her way through the forest, trying to catch up with the blond young man who she'd seen landing from the canopy. He had intrigued her in the locker room, and she was rather hoping that she could snag him as a partner.

 _'Someone who doesn't recognise me...oh, this is a dream come true!'_ Glee mixed with her usual calm mindset, a smile pulling at her lips while she moved.

Grimm tried to impede her several times, from several Nevermore she encountered while making her way down the tree which had served as her landing platform, to a small pack of Beowolves that she had encountered en-route.

Miló spoke, and bursts of gunfire shredded the avian Grimm into so many feathers. Akoúo̱ listened, and the strikes of the canine Grimm meant less than nothing.

Every movement was a symphony of sword, shield and body. Her blade parted heads from bodies or struck forth and buried itself in the heart, lungs, stomach, throat or eye. Every swipe of her shield ruined an enemy's balance, leaving them open to attack. When they sought to attack whilst her blade was otherwise engaged, the rim of her shield served as an impromptu axe.

She was barely paying attention.

Instead, she was focussed on the magnetic fields she had been paying careful attention to ever since the launch platforms. Namely, the two attached to her prospective partner. They allowed her to track him, so long as he didn't roam too far - and he hadn't yet.

She knew she was gaining ground when she caught the tail end of an evaporating Grimm, and when she heard a massive roar ahead of her she was sure she was getting close. Still, the sheer volume of the sound indicated the size of its progenitor, and she poured on the speed.

Several more roars sounded, all within seconds of one another, growing louder as she got closer to their source. Then, finally, she burst into a clearing, and skidded to a halt.

What she was seeing was, at first sight, a Deathstalker. At second glance, it was what remained of a Deathstalker.

Its pincers, stinger and legs were scattered about, each leaking the viscuous black liquid which was Grimm blood. That same substance dripped from the spasming main body, slowly relieving the monster of its mockery of a life.

And, standing beside it, whirling around to see her and reaching for the hilt of his blade, was her target.

"Pyrrha?"

* * *

"Pyrrha?" Jaune asked, recognising the polite redhead from the locker room. She met his eyes when he spoke, tearing her gaze away from what was left of his former opponent. Then she looked back and forth between them for a moment, a look of slight awe mixed with confusion on her face.

"Jaune, did you...do this yourself?"

The blond nodded. Pyrrha looked back at the massive, dying monster for a moment longer, then seemed to shake her head and resolve herself somehow. "That's...incredible, really. Your Semblance must be rather impressive."

Jaune cocked his head for a moment, recalling how Qrow had told him that using his Semblance would most likely make it very difficult to avoid injuring any sparring partners. That matched the meaning of 'impressive', didn't it? "I...suppose so." He agreed, and Pyrrha nodded.

"Well then, congratulations on your victory. I hope I can prove myself to you as a partner."

Jaune frowned. "There is no...need for that." He informed her. "I am...happy to have you as a partner, Pyrrha." He was, too. _'_ _She's kind, and she's strong too. I just hope she doesn't mind sticking around me...'  
_

* * *

Meanwhile, Pyrrha was smiling even wider at the seemingly blind acceptance, despite Jaune's admission that he didn't know who he was. _'Finally,_ finally _,_ _I've found him! The partner I've been looking for_ _!'_

She didn't just mean for Beacon, either. It was difficult, incredibly difficult, finding someone on her precise level who didn't view her as competition - particularly as she met the majority of them in the championship circuit. Almost everyone her age were unable to match her, and people older than her seemed largely jealous of the talent she had displayed in reaching their level so quickly. If they weren't jealous, they respected her - respected her too much. Raised her up just like everyone else, and placed her on a pedestal.

Even among people she viewed as her own kind, she was alone.

Or she had been.

Jaune beckoned her forward, turning to continue the journey, and she immediately jogged up to move beside him, unable to keep the smile off her face. _'I found him, grandfather. Just like you said.'_

As they ran, Pyrrha couldn't help but notice that, while the pounding of her footsteps and the metallic noises of her armour rang out, Jaune's movements were entirely silent. She might not even have noticed, if she hadn't been stealing glances at the blond every now and again. He moved over twigs without cracking them, he moved through leaves and bushes while they seemed to part around him like water, not even rustling. He seemed to leave no wind with his passage, and even his breathing was noiseless.

It was eerie - like, at that moment, he only existed to one of her senses. She almost wanted to reach out and take his hand just to be sure he was actually still there...

She shook _those_ thoughts out of her head rather quickly. _'What am I thinking? We only met this morning!'_ She glanced back at him, then away again. _'Never mind how he looks, or how strong he is, or that he's a completely blank slate. He'd think I was being weird, or that I was needy or something!'_

She was still wrestling with those thoughts when they ran into a full pack of Beowolves about five minutes from the Deathstalker clearing. The creatures surrounded them quickly, and Pyrrha immediately switched over to her combat persona. The Prospective Huntress and her partner both raised their weapons quickly, falling into their preferred combat stances. Pyrrha glanced at her partner, frowning slightly as she took it in. _'That stance...it's absolutely basic.'_

"Pyrrha, can you...handle those...ones?" Jaune asked over his shoulder, and the redhead found herself torn between a slight thrill and mild annoyance. She was thrilled that there was someone who didn't just blindly assume she could take care of everything, but it stung her pride a little for someone to imply that she wasn't entirely capable of wiping out this pack and more besides.

She eventually decided that she had more than enough pride, and that letting it get in the way of getting along with her new partner and quite possibly her first true friend in years would just be foolish. "I'll be fine, Jaune." She told him, then raised her shield as the first of the Beowolves on her side of the circle leapt for her. Behind her, she felt a rush of air, and as she backhanded the Grimm in the face and spun, she used the opportunity to see what Jaune was doing.

Her partner had moved several steps away, and was still standing in that same beginner's stance. However, even as she watched another Beowolf charged in, arms outstretched and jaws agape. Jaune spun to his left while stepping right, coming to a halt facing toward the Beowolf's side just as its neck past where he had been standing a moment ago. The sword came down, decapitating the Grimm and severing its left arm in the the same attack.

The body came to a rolling stop, and then Pyrrha was turned back around to face her next challengers, and she had no time to focus on Jaune's combat.

They wrapped up the Grimm within three minutes, with Pyrrha elbow-dropping Akoúo̱ through a Beowolf's spine and turning around in time to see Jaune seem to vanish into thin air for a split second before reappearing just behind a reared-up Beowolf, seemingly the last on his side of the clearing, with his blade extended to the right.

The monster's roar died away into a gurgle as air and blood flooded its trachea, then fell forwards, its bisected form splitting apart on impact.

Behind it, Jaune stood, flicking the blood away from his blade before sheathing it. His head was cocked slightly to the side as he observed the fallen monster with a frown, before he looked up to Pyrrha and smiled. "You are...unharmed, Pyrrha?"

The redhead nodded slowly, taking in the dissolving bodies piled around Jaune's feet. There were more smoking parts than there were Beowolves to account for them, she realised. _'Does he remove a body part with every blow?'_ She wondered. _'Then...was it not his Semblance that dealt with the Deathstalker? Did he do that...entirely under his own power?'_

That was crossing the borderline from impressive to downright ridiculous. That was the kind of feat that fully trained Huntsmen could be expected to pull off, along with perhaps some of the higher years from the combat academies. Grimm bones were _tough_ , almost as much as their armour even if they were thinner and had exploitable weaknesses. But to exploit those, he would need to be striking directly into joints or between vertebrae every single time he swung. That...couldn't be it, could it? Could he possibly have such pinpoint precision and extensive knowledge of Grimm that he could find the faults in their biology in the midst of combat and exploit them without seeming to be at all bothered by it?

 _'I don't know of even Huntsmen that can do that...'_ She thought to herself. _'What could do that? Some kind of internally manifested Semblance? Something to do with his hand-eye coordination, or his memory?'_

But still, the thought persisted that throughout that entire fight, she hadn't once seen or felt his Aura flare, as would indicate someone activating their Semblance.

She chewed her lip for a moment, then nodded. "I'm fine, Jaune." Another pause. "Jaune, do you mind if I ask you something?"

The blond shook his head. "I am happy to answer your...questions, Pyrrha. We are partners now, after all."

"Then...can I ask, which combat school did you go to?"

* * *

Jaune's smile became a frown, as he tried to think of an answer for it. _'I don't want to lie to my partner...'_ He thought. _'Well...it worked on Ruby and Yatsuhashi didn't it? And it isn't lying.'_

"I did not...attend a combat school," he told her. "I trained...instead."

"I...see." Pyrrha murmured. "So, you were taught by someone independent?"

The blond shook his head. "I...learned by myself."

Pyrrha blinked several times, glancing at the sword on Jaune's back. "So...you learned how to kill Deathstalkers _on your own?_ "

Jaune nodded, glad that she seemed to understand...but at the same time, not understanding why her frown wasn't going away.

The redhead looked back at him for a long moment, wondering to herself at the fact that she was sure he wasn't lying to her. She had developed something of a sense for that, over the years - between dealing with a great many people who would have loved to 'be of assistance' to the 'great Pyrrha Nikos', and the various tricks, feints and deceptions utilised in tournaments, she had learned how to tell someone's truthfulness from their body.

Everything she knew told her that Jaune wasn't lying. "Well Jaune," she told him, "I'll take your word for it." She reached out a hand and laid it on his shoulder, giving a soft squeeze. "I just hope you'll trust me with the whole story one day."

Blue eyes looked into green, searching for...well, he wasn't sure what. But they were kind and patient... _understanding_. With another soft squeeze, the redhead let her hand drop, then gestured in the direction they had been heading initially. "Now come on Jaune, let's speed up a little. We've lost some time."

Nodding, the blond fell into step with the now-jogging Pyrrha. He kept stealing glances though, thoughts turning around and around in his head. _'_ _Should I tell her? But I've only known her since this morning, and I haven't even told Yang or Ruby...then again, she seems really nice...'_

He still hadn't come to a decision by the time they burst out of the treeline, and found themselves at one edge of a large clearing. The open space beyond surrounded what looked like the ruins of a stone building. Inside were pedestals, supporting various oversized chess pieces. "Those would appear to be the relics." Pyrrha observed, Jaune putting his thoughts on the back burner as they approached.

They examined the pieces on display, and the blond picked out a white piece shaped like a castle. He turned around to face his partner, holding it up to see. "How about this one?" The redhead nodded her assent, Jaune placing the relic in the bag at his waist.

His eyes flashed up to the surrounding woodland however when he heard approaching footsteps. _'Two sets_ _, running. One loud like Pyrrha without the metal, one really quiet, like Qrow.'_ They were human though, so he relaxed. Pyrrha had tensed up at his sudden movement, but the tension ran out of her when he returned to standing normally. "Someone's coming?" She asked, and he nodded.

"...Two people." He hoped she hadn't seen him raising the first two fingers on his right hand to jog his memory. If she did, she didn't show any sign of it. Instead, the redheaded warrior moved to stand beside him and wait.

Only a few seconds later, a mane of blonde hair became visible making its way through the forest. Then it emerged into the clearing, revealing Yang Xiao Long. Maybe a step behind her, Blake seemed to tear herself away from the shadows of the trees.

"Yang, Blake!" Jaune called, waving to them.

Amber eyes and lilac turned to face the blond, recognition flaring instantly when they also alighted on his partner. "Hey, Jaune! You're not cheating on my sister with another red-head, are you?" Yang greeted him, moving forward with her partner. He chuckled, his own partner seeming confused.

"Yang, this is Pyrrha. Pyrrha, this is Yang – she is a friend of mine." The two shook hands, Blake taking the opportunity to pick up a white piece shaped like a knight.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Yang."

* * *

The brawler examined the woman in front of her, recalling how the redhead's features had flickered when she greeted Jaune, and how she glanced between them, as if trying to gauge how close they are. _'_ _Well well well, he's got someone else going after him already...'_ A smile grew on Yang's face as she ended the handshake _._ _'I can use this. If he's trying to get close to Ruby, then his true colours should appear if someone else goes after him.'_

"Likewise, Pyrrha." She responded. "So, you guys find anything interesting on the way here? We only ran into a couple of Ursa."

She raised an eyebrow when Jaune and Pyrrha glanced at one another, a vaguely pleading expression flitting across the male's features for a moment. Then he turned back to Yang, shaking his head a bit. "Beowolves and Ursa. Nothing...exciting."

"Indeed, it was rather uneventful." Pyrrha agreed. "I caught up with Jaune a little while after he landed, and we ran straight here. There was a pack of Beowolves, but that was all."

Yang frowned at each of them in turn. She couldn't tell if Nikos was lying...but with Jaune, she got the distinct sense that he was telling half-truths.

That was a point against him, in her mind. Just what exactly had occurred that he would feel the need to cover up? In particular, what could have happened that Pyrrha would then aid him in suppressing? Her paranoia could conjure any number of things, and none of it good.

Yang moved forward a few steps, then leaned forward, her long hair obscuring both of their faces from any prying eyes. "Jaune..." She muttered, "I just want to say this now. Right now, I know basically nothing about you. If all you're going to do is keep secrets, I'm not going to feel comfortable letting you hang around Ruby. You've been nice and all, but I just can't trust my sister to someone I know almost nothing about."

Returning to where she had been standing, Ruby's older sister could see that the young man's expression was flitting between what she believed were sadness, anger and panic. _'He has...absolutely no poker face.'_

His partner looked back and forth between him and the brawler, frowning somewhat. She opened her mouth to speak...but closed it again when Jaune put a hand on her shoulder. "It is alright, Pyrrha. Yang just...needed to make...something clear."

He sighed, long and low. "When we are done here, Yang. Not now."

Figuring that was about as good as she could expect, the brawler nodded. "That's fine."

The redhead looked back and forth between them in abject confusion, and her partner turned to face her. "I think that you should be there as well, Pyrrha. You will...benefit from understanding."

Invitation thus extended, the blond moved away from the other three. Pushing off from the ground, he landed softly on top of the stone ring encircling the temple.

From his new vantage point, Jaune was able to scope out the forest around them...and be more or less alone with his thoughts. His three compatriots looked up at him, all thinking different things. Moving closer to Yang, Pyrrha asked "What did you say to him?"

Glancing sideways, the brawler let out a small sigh of her own. "I pushed him into something he needed to do sooner or later. This way...I hope to minimise any damage." With that cryptic response, Yang too walked away to think.

* * *

Blake and Pyrrha were left standing, looking at their respective partners. For a moment, the clearing was dead silent as the four warriors considered what was to come.

That moment was irreperably shattered by the arrival of Nora Valkyrie.

An Ursa barrelled into the clearing, rearing onto its hind legs just outside the tree line. It let out a roar, getting Pyrrha, Blake and Yang to settle into combat stances. Jaune, from his elevated vantage point, just stared.

The beast toppled moments later, going from mode of transportation to slide in a matter of seconds. The bouncy girl who rolled off its back looked back at it sadly. "Aww...it's broken." The girl, who was apparently carrying a grenade launcher, examined its body for a moment or two.

That gave her partner enough time to catch up. "Nora...please...never do that again." He panted, hands on his knees.

 _'I guess this is Ren?'_ Jaune thought to himself, as the black-haired young man looked around for his suddenly absent partner.

Said partner was busy selecting a relic identical to the one Jaune was carrying, apparently being inordinately happy about its shape. Jaune dropped down next to her as she balanced it on her head, and she turned to look at him.

"Oh, it's Jaune! Hey, thanks for the help this morning – the far away pancakes were really good."

The blond nodded in acknowledgment, but kept looking at her. "Nora...could you teach me that?"

The girl scratched her head, somehow not dislodging the white rook piece currently balanced on it. "Teach you what, Jauney?"

Deciding to ask about the sudden change to his name later, the young man gestured to the Ursa she'd rode in on. "To...ride Grimm like that."

Teal eyes met his own, and they locked for a second. Then Nora began to practically vibrate on the spot, accelerating for a few seconds before jumping on the blond for a hug. "Yes, of course! Oh, everyone who sees me do that just say it's dangerous, I've never had a student before!" Halting her attempts to break Jaune's ribs, she started skipping all over the temple.

While most of the clearing were wondering, _'_ _How has that Rook piece not fallen off yet?'_ Ren finally reached Jaune. The moment he did so, Nora seemed to suddenly appear next to the blond. "Oh, Ren, this is Jaune. You know, the person who helped me come up with the Great Pancake Experiment. He wants to be a Grimm rider, can you believe it?"

The sombre young man looked between the two a couple of times, recognising the look in the blond's eyes. "Unfortunately yes, Nora." He leaned forward a bit, examining the teen in front of him.

Jaune bore the examination without a word, and a moment later Ren stepped back. "Well, I wish you good luck. We've never met anyone else crazy enough to try it apart from Nora, but I'm hardly going to stop you."

Nodding seriously, Jaune extended a hand to the young man. "My name is Jaune. It is very nice to meet you." The martial artist took the proffered hand, feeling the strength there. Largely repressed, and under an impressive amount of control...but obviously present.

"I'm Ren." A moment later they broke the handshake as the clearing's other occupants gathered around them.

"Hey guys, is it okay if we wait for Ruby?" Yang asked. "I'm a bit surprised she isn't here yet..."

Jaune turned to her, full attention grabbed at the mention of his first friend more-or-less his age. "I am fine with...staying for a while." He turned to look at Nora and Ren, who went off to the side and muttered for a moment.

Returning, they nodded as well. "Nora wants to stay with her new student, so we'll be hanging back as well."

The group fanned out to various parts of the clearing, staring into the forest to search for more students. Jaune had assumed his previous position atop the temple, and was turning on the spot to try and identify any movement in visible range.

It was his clearer view of the sky that let him spot the giant Nevermore first, the massive creature unmistakable in the sunlight. "Nevermore!" He called down, prompting everyone to look at him. He pointed to the creature, and various exclamations came from around the clearing as they registered its size.

Squinting at it, Jaune thought that he could see a splash of colour on the approaching monster. Wait, there were two of them. Were those... "Yang, I think I...found Ruby." He called, pointing again.

His fellow blonde boosted herself up to where Jaune was standing using a blast from Ember Celica, squinting at the bird-like creature as well. "Oh God, she's actually riding a Nevermore." Her voice was almost completely flat, too many conflicting emotions trying to make themselves known at once for her to actually express any of them.

"Well, she's...technically not...riding it...anymore." Jaune told her, watching the red figure fall away from the massive black monster.

Jumping down from the circle, the blond eyed the falling girl and backed up so he was about a step away from the stone pillar behind him. He held still for a moment or two, then jumped up and back, pressing his feet against the stone behind him and bending his knees so that, for a split-instant, he was crouching sideways on the structure. Then, he pushed off, the force of his jump enough to leave small cracks in the surface beneath his feet.

His flew through the air like an arrow, his trajectory intersecting Ruby's while they were both still several metres above the ground. The remaining energy from his jump overpowered the energy from the rather petite girl's fall, and they both continued along his parabolic path, Ruby now secured in Jaune's grip.

Though it was more difficult with the added mass of a fifteen year old girl, the blond managed to flip forward and meet the tree feet-first. The impact ran up his legs, but a careful push off put the two into a backflip which Jaune landed into a crouch, before rising up with a puff of air.

"Um...Jaune?"

Jaune looked down at Ruby, whose face was currently turning the same colour as her weapon. He was currently holding her in a bridal carry, the easiest grip he'd been able to get on her since she'd been falling with her body horizontal, and her arms having wrapped around the blond's neck instinctively in an attempt to stop herself falling.

Realising she probably wanted down, Jaune knelt down a bit so he could set Ruby on her feet. The moment she had footing, she immediately vanished in a shower of rose petals and a whirl of displaced air. By the time Jaune straightened up again, he found that she had crossed the entire clearing and was hiding behind one of the stone pillars supporting the temple's stone ring.

Yang immediately grabbed her, hugging the small figure while switching back and forth between proud older sister and terrified/furious mother figure. It didn't seem to be having much impact on the younger girl, who was still trying to control her blush.

"How could you leave me?!" Came a voice from above, and Jaune was reminded of the second figure he'd seen on the Nevermore – the only person who had taken the Initiation dressed in a pristine white dress. The call seemed to start Ruby out of her haze, and she immediately looked up from the shelter of her sister's hug.

"I said jump!" She yelled back, sounding somewhere between sorry, angry and exasperated.

Blake's eyes moved to the white figure. "She's going to fall."

Ruby waved a hand. "Nah, she'll be fine."

Moments later, the white figure detached from the monster as well. "She's falling." Noted Ren.

Jaune didn't pay much attention, instead analysing Weiss' trajectory in much the same fashion as he had Ruby's. One straight-up leap got him into the upper reaches of the tree he had kicked off in his interception of Ruby, where he crouched on a branch and waited. When the moment came, he extended his legs with enough force to snap the branch right off the tree and shatter most of the bark around where it had been situated, launching skywards at an angle.

His parabolic trajectory brought him into arm's reach of the horizontal Schnee, and once he had a grip on her, he turned his mind to formulating a landing strategy. He wouldn't reach the opposite treeline, so there would be no surface he could use to redirect himself. With that option eliminated, he found that his remaining options involved either breaking his promise to Qrow, or simply brute-forcing a solution.

He chose the latter.

Ramping up his Aura as far as he could push it, particularly around his legs and feet, he waited until he and Weiss were within safe falling distance of the ground before abruptly throwing the girl in his arms upwards hard enough to kill off her downward velocity, while at the same time the reaction accelerated his own fall by that amount.

Jaune hit the ground more than hard enough to form a crater, feeling the hit that his Aura took when it absorbed the energy instead of his body. It wasn't an insignificant blow either, indeed it had wiped out almost a fifth of his total supply by his reckoning. Still, it was better than broken legs.

He stood up from his crouch immediately after impact, using some of the reactive force from the ground to speed his rise, and held out his arms just in time for Weiss to drop into them, eyes wide and seemingly struck dumb for the moment.

Placing her gently on her feet, Jaune looked at her in concern when she failed to even blink for several seconds. "Weiss?" He queried. "Are you...unharmed?"

"I...yes, I..." She shook her head, white ponytail trailing behind her motions. "I mean, of course I'm not alright. I was just abandoned on a Nevermore and left to fall!" She crossed her arms, turning away slightly. "Though...I suppose it would have been a lot worse if not for you."

She looked at the blond out the corner of her eye, seeming to come to a decision. "Thank you, Jaune."

Giving her a smile, the young man nodded. "You are...welcome, Weiss."

The two approached the group, which had now congregated near the entrance to the temple. With the addition of Weiss and Ruby, they had eight. "I got us a relic, Weiss. We're all set here!" Ruby called.

Glaring at her partner, who shyed away, the heiress sighed. "Well, if we all have relics then we should find some way to evade that Nevermore and return to the Cliffs so we can complete our mission." General assent greeted her plan...except for Jaune. The blond was staring at the Nevermore, which was currently circling around for another strike.

"You go on...ahead." He told them idly, reaching over his shoulder to draw Luna Machaera. "I will...catch up later." _'This is the largest Grimm I've seen here yet. If I can defeat it with Luna, I will be one step closer...'_

He began to walk forward. Luna's steel shone in the afternoon soon, the blazing light attracting the massive beast's attention. It let out a shriek, coming to a halt in the air above Jaune.

Bringing both its wings forward, the Grimm unleashed a torrent of massive black feathers. The other seven students got out of the way, but the blond simply stood there. Pyrrha and Ruby both yelled his name, but audio was unimportant at the moment.

Razor-sharp blue eyes registered all the incoming trajectories, and the even sharper mind behind them spotted the holes in the blanket pattern. Taking one or two sidesteps as the highly inaccurate attack forested the area around him with those black feathers, Jaune noted idly that it was actually more difficult to avoid volleys from smaller Nevermores - there were no gaping safe zones in their volleys.

With the attack over, the Nevermore wasn't in a position to immediately move from its hover. Noting the opportunity, Jaune leapt backwards, both feet meeting the dense yet bendy bone-material that formed the core of the feather directly behind him. It bent under him for a moment, then snapped in two as he used it for a spring board. Jaune flew forward to the treeline, grabbing hold of a tree next to the Nevermore's currently hovering position. Scaling it in seconds, he used its trunk as a platform for another leap.

He soared through the air and landed on the creature's back, where his left hand secured a grip on a feather. The Nevermore screeched, immediately starting to move in order to throw off its rider. This wasn't Jaune's first time dealing with a flying Grimm though, so he just moved slowly and carefully across its back _,_ once again grateful that the ability to control his bodily functions - what Glynda had called 'biofeedback' - had allowed him to cure his motion sickness.

Once he reached the neck, he secured himself using his knees and turned so that his blade was perpendicular to the monster's spine. Raising the sword above his head, he let out a long breath...then brought it down with as much strength as he could.

There was a noise like metal on metal, and he gritted his teeth. The feathers were like steel, and were placed too closely together for Luna's blade to move between them horizontally.

Recalling that this maneuver had worked well with the Deathstalker, Jaune raised his weapon once more - this time, held point-down and blade away from him. Once more he drove it down, and this time it slid between the armoured pinions and struck home between the vertebrae at the base of the Grimm's skull. There was a bone-shaking screech, but when he adjusted his grip on the hilt and then _ripped_ Luna Machaera through the various nerves and blood vessels in an upward slash, it cut off as everything below the Nevermore's neck abruptly stopped working.

As the wings went limp, the massive creature began to plummet into a dive. There was no need for another strike - if the impact didn't kill it, then the inability to breathe and lack of a heartbeat would do it with time.

As it started to fall, Jaune re-sheathed his weapon and stood. The wind snatched him away from the Nevermore's back instantly, and he found himself once again in freefall. He eyed the trees below him, frowning when he realised that they were considerably further away than they had been after the launch from the cliff.

Of course, the words were back. She was being really persistent today. But he had made a promise, and this fall wouldn't kill him.

Probably.

 _'I'm not sure I'll be able to stop myself properly...'_ Jaune spread his arms and legs, turning belly-down to try and minimise his velocity. His only shot was to try and find branches that would snap on impact – his Aura should take the brunt of it, and the resistance would slow him. Of course, he only had to hit one really firm branch...

As the canopy approached, he prepared for what was probably going to be a very painful experience.

It never came.

* * *

 **As Jaune was Boarding the Nevermore**

* * *

Ruby Rose wasn't entirely sure what to think as she watched her first friend at Beacon fly away on a Giant Nevermore.

Sure, she'd done the exact same thing with Weiss not so long ago...but while at the time it had seemed like a good idea, watching someone else do it just worried her.

It worried her so much, in fact, that she wasn't even really thinking when she abruptly yelled to the others to follow her and took off in pursuit of the creature, ignoring the cries from her sister to wait and instead simply working to simultaneously stay aware of the forest in front of her and the Nevermore above her, which was climbing higher and higher at an almost frightening pace.

"Weiss!" She shouted over her shoulder, not even really paying attention to the fact that most of her usual cheerfulness had gone out of her tone. "Can your glyphs catch him?"

The Heiress seemed to debate getting pissy over being ordered about for a moment, but one look at Ruby's eyes dissuaded her. "Not on their own!" She called back. "It would be just like hitting the ground!"

Ruby grit her teeth, casting her mind around for something else she could use. "Do we have anything that can slow his fall?!" She shouted to the group in general, which constituted everyone who had been at the temple. Weiss had followed because Jaune had saved her, Yang because Ruby was going, Blake because Yang was going, Nora partially because she enjoyed running and partially because she wasn't going to lose her first ever student, and Ren...well, like most things in Ren's life, because 'Nora'.

Blake debated with herself for a moment before speaking up. She was, after all, training to become a Huntress - that meant saving lives, however she could. "Gambol Shroud's ribbon is highly elastic," she called out. "I believe it would be capable of holding him!"

"But wouldn't that just shoot him back?" Yang asked. "And besides, how would we be sure to get it under him? And how would we secured the ends?"

Ruby was thinking rapidly, and shouted back over her shoulder. "Guy and, er, guy's partner-"

"Ren and Nora!" Ren corrected her.

"Ren and Nora, how strong are you guys?"

A low chuckle came from behind her, and then there was a rather put-upon sigh before Nora abruptly accelerated to run alongside Ruby, carrying Ren in her arms. He looked as if he was questioning why he'd bothered getting up that morning, while his partner was grinning massively.

 _'Well...that answers that question...'_ "Right then!" Ruby shouted. "Ren, Nora, Yang, Blake and Pyrrha hold the ends of the ribbon! Weiss, can you use your glyphs to stop the ribbon bouncing back?" The Heiress thought quickly, then called back an affirmative. "Then I'll make sure he lands on it!"

"And how are you going to do that?" Yang asked.

As a response, Ruby unfolded Crescent Rose to its scythe form and rose petals began to stream from her cloak. "Like _this!_ "

And as the Nevermore screeched before falling silent, a black dot separating from its back and beginning to fall, Ruby streaked away like a solid red line, going straight up the side of a tree before kicking up the top and opening fire with Crescent Rose.

"Oh, _dammit Ruby!_ " Yang cursed, as she turned to the others. "You heard her! Let's do this!"

As the five grounded teens save Weiss set to work pulling Gambol Shroud's ribbon taut, while Weiss drew her rapier and called up her Aura, ready for use, Pyrrha reached out into the sky above them with her Aura, sensing the signatures of Jaune's blade, Ruby's scythe and whatever it was that Jaune was wearing on his left arm, but which she hadn't seen.

Subtly, dark Aura sprung up around her, pulling all three signatures upward as best she could manage. _'Please...please, be enough.'_

* * *

The first indicator Jaune got that he was being rescued was the feeling of his downward motion suddenly slowing when Luna Machaera and its sheathe, and by extension the rather tough belt which kept them on his back, appeared to start straining upwards - as well as his left arm.

The second was when the sound of gunfire met his ears, and Ruby Rose appeared in his field of view, moving in a curving flight rather similar to the one he'd used to catch her not long ago. When she reached him, she extended her arms - more specifically, the shaft of her weapon as held in them, and he grabbed hold with his left hand, noting that Crescent Rose seemed to be trying to go upward as well. Once he was secured, Ruby adjusted Crescent Rose's firing line, while at the same time staring at a point on the ground with all the intensity of a peregrine falcon.

The scythe barked several times in rapid succession, and the teen's flight path was put onto a very specific course. Jaune made out the figures on the ground as they descended, and noted that they were heading directly for the black ribbon being held extended between five people, the ever-obvious Weiss standing a distance away in the direction they were travelling.

As they neared impact, Jaune judged the distance, then abruptly rolled his body to the left, extending his right arm across his body, flipping both of them across the shaft of Crescent Rose so that his back was facing the ribbon, Ruby facing him, and Crescent Rose held out to his left and her right. She had a moment to widen her eyes at suddenly finding her field of view filled with Jaune's hoodie before they hit the ribbon, decelerating rapidly.

Ruby found herself pressed against Jaune for a moment, hearing him grunt as he softened her own impact, both their Auras automatically coming to life. When they came to a halt, Weiss gestured with one hand while the other held Myrtenaster, and a black glyph spun into existence around the ribbon and its two occupants.

Moving quickly, Jaune pulled himself free from the glyph's pull, taking Ruby with him. Once he had done so, the glyph vanished, leaving the ribbon to immediately being oscillating back and forth, bucking in the hands of the teams which had been holding it as it vented the excess energy.

Blake, Yang, Ren, Nora and Pyrrha all shook out their hands a bit once it stopped, kicking their feet too and glancing at the furrows they'd left in the ground when the force on the ribbon had pulled them inwards. That done, they looked over to where Jaune and Ruby were both sprawled on the ground.

Jaune was catching his breath after his freefall and subsequently cushioning Ruby's deceleration. Ruby herself was just hyperventilating, muttering to herself as she hugged Crescent Rose close.

Pyrrha moved over to her partner while Yang made for Ruby. The blonde paused just beside her little sister for a moment, catching a few words from her babble. "Warm...soft _and_ tough...thought he was going to..."

"Sis?" Yang asked tentatively, abruptly breaking Ruby from her self-directed spiel. The brunette started and looked upwards, turning an even brighter red than she had already been.

"Yang?" She squeaked. "How...how much of that did you hear?"

"More than you wanted me to, less than _I_ wanted to." The brawler told her cheerfully, reaching out a hand as Ruby groaned. The younger girl took the hand, folding Crescent Rose back to its rifle form as she rose and then stowing it away before abruptly flipping up her hood to hide her face. Yang just pulled it back again, despite her sister's quiet whine of her name. "We can talk later," Yang told her. "But we gotta get back to the school first."

Ruby let out a mixed groan and sigh before nodding, looking over to where Pyrrha had helped Jaune up and was now looking over him for injuries. She moved over, along with her sister and the other members of their little party, catching the tail end of their conversation.

"...don't know how you expect to help other people if you don't take care of yourself!"

The blond winced, though not from any physical pain, and nodded contritely. "I am sorry, Pyrrha. I will try to be more...careful in the...future."

Pyrrha held his gaze for a few more moments, then sighed. "Just...please, remember you don't have to do things alone."

Jaune nodded seriously. "I will...remember, Pyrrha." Abruptly, he closed the gap between them with a step and gave her a hug. "Thank you for the help, Pyrrha."

The redhead froze in place, turning a bit red as Jaune moved back and smiled at her. Then, he looked over to Ruby and Yang. Both of them found themselves receiving hugs without seeing Jaune move from his space beside Pyrrha, and Yang looked over from the surprise gesture to find that Ruby was muttering to herself again - mostly 'warm' this time.

Weiss and Blake glanced at one another and, in an act of synchronicity they wouldn't have thought themselves capable of performing just a day ago, took several steps back. Just in time, as Jaune moved through where they had been to hug first Ren, who seemed to be acting as if this were a common occurrence with him, and then Nora, who laughed and then returned the hug with interest.

He glanced over at two who had stepped back, and Weiss abruptly shook her head, waving a hand back and forth. "You saved me earlier today," she reminded him. "I'm just repaying the debt. There's no need to thank me anymore."

Jaune frowned, but seemingly chose to accept that, then turned to look at Blake. The Faunus simply gave him a level look. "If you hug me, I _will_ hurt you." She said simply.

Jaune frowned even more deeply at that, but apparently chose not to test her, as he turned back to where Pyrrha had fought her expression back under control. There was...slight disappointment, he thought, on her face. But it was gone when he looked again, Pyrrha shaking her head for a moment before she looked between the blond and the other teens around them. "You know Jaune, I've seen a lot of warriors." She told him. "People of every age, race and class, with every kind of weapon, power or personality. I've seen a lot...but you are perhaps the most interesting boy I've ever met."

Jaune smiled. "And you are the...best partner I could have asked for. My fall...slowing, that was you was it not?"

Green eyes widened as she looked at him. "Now how did you know that?"

His smile got wider, a little mischief in his eyes. "I did not...until you told me."

Those green eyes blinked a few times...then Pyrrha giggled, and Jaune followed suit. They turned to rejoin the others, still chuckling - though Pyrrha turned a bit red, most of her focus on her partner as she walked a half-step behind.

* * *

Yang watched from beside Ruby, who was trying to avoid looking at Jaune but failing, as she glanced towards him every few seconds and started going red again. The speed with which Jaune had captured, not just her sister's, but _Pyrrha Nikos'_ interest was a bit worrying to her. She wasn't sure if either had noticed how the other acted towards the blond, but she was certain that Nikos had noticed how Jaune had moved himself to soften Ruby's impact with the ribbon.

What was more, with the way he was acting, Jaune seemed entirely oblivious to their interest. _Was_ it obliviousness? Was it simply playing hard to get? Was he trying to manipulate them in some way?

Yang had no idea, and that worried her. Jaune seemed almost _too_ easy to read - he wore his heart on his sleeve like a child, but everything else about him belied that kind of comparison. _'He acts almost like a child, with his shows of affection and his complete inability to lie or hide his feelings. But the way he saved Weiss and Ruby, how he attacked that Nevermore, even how he maneuvered in mid-air and adapted at a moment's notice...all of that indicates that he's had truly extensive training. How could he have gone through something like that without picking up mental discipline, too - or did he, and so he_ chooses _to act like he does?'_

On the one hand, he could almost be a male incarnation of Ruby, a mirrored soul. On the other hand, he could be leading them on, everything about him calculated to achieve some end.

And she had no idea which was really Jaune.

* * *

A few minutes of planning and orientation later, the group moved off back towards the cliffs they had come from. They ran with their partners, conversation kept light for the sake of conserving air. They met several Beowolves, Boarbatusks and Ursai on their way, but just barreled right through them, leaving smoking pieces scattered among the trees in their wake.

Eventually, the eight students finally found the cliff face which they had been launched off that morning. Jaune eyed it, measuring distances. He didn't have much experience rock climbing – he had never really spent time in any mountainous regions, and if he'd ever had a real need for altitude, Lailah had provided.

Here though, all he had were his weapons and his friends. He looked over to find that the other seven had put their heads together, and were apparently trying to come up with a plan of ascent. He wandered over.

"...so the person using the glyphs needs to be going pretty fast already, or they'll still just fall off." Weiss was finishing an explanation of why they couldn't just use her glyphs to run up the cliff, something Ruby had suggested. She herself couldn't manage the cliff's height - at full speed she had managed the tree earlier, but she had been just about ready to fall off when she reached its peak.

Jaune took a place beside his partner, who turned to face him. "Do you have any ideas Jaune?" The rest of the group turned to look at him as well, and he imagined he could feel expectations settling on him. Taking a couple of steps back, he looked from the group to the cliff face and back again.

"Weiss, how fast would...someone have to be...going in order to stay on the wall?"

The white-haired girl considered it, before nodding to Ruby. "They'd have to be going at least half the speed of her Semblance, which is still faster than the rest of us can run."

Jaune nodded to himself, mentally assessing each of his team mates. Turning to his partner, the blond extended his arms. "Pyrrha, would you mind me...carrying you? I need to check...something."

The redhead twitched a little, her face reddening slightly. "Uh...okay, then." Stepping forward, she leaned back as Jaune used his left arm to support her back. His right hand went under her knees, and he closed his eyes for a moment. He moved his arms up and down, assessing the weight. Opening his eyes again, he smiled at the partner in his arms.

"Thank you, Pyrrha." He set her back down again, even as her face went even more red.

"...not a problem." She almost-whispered, walking away a little as the blonde turned back to the other six group members.

"Pyrrha's...armour makes her the...heaviest. But I can run fast enough, even with her."

What would normally be a claim which called for several raised eyebrows just got a couple of frowns. The blond had already demonstrated his speed and strength - they had seen how he moved when catching Weiss and Ruby, the power he had demonstrated getting on the Nevermore.

"I can get up the wall on my own, so can Weiss, Ruby and Blake. But that still means you'd have to carry Yang, Nora and Pyrrha. Do you have the stamina for that?" Ren asked, looking around at the other six members of the group. While he'd still be carrying less than half the group, Yang was muscular, Nora had Magnhild and Pyrrha wore heavy armour.

The blond nodded simply. "Yes, I do."

There was no trace of arrogance or, indeed, anything apart from honesty in his tone. Sighing, the martial artist waved him on. "I suppose we can try it then...miss Schnee, are you willing to make the glyphs?"

Glancing at Ren, Weiss considered the young man who was so sure of his strength. "Alright. Who's going first?"

Jaune gestured to Nora, who was standing beside her partner. "Nora is the...lightest, without her...weapon. If I fail, she will be the...easiest to catch."

That made perfect sense to the blond, and no one disagreed. The short girl saluted to the group, slinging Magnhild over her back in grenade launcher form. Jaune picked her up as he had Pyrrha, moving over to the cliff face. He then nodded to Weiss, who returned the gesture and concentrated. The white glyphs spun into existence in a path up the rocky surface, and Jaune didn't waste any time.

Carefully making sure that his grip on Nora never faltered, the blond exploded into motion as he ran full tilt up the wall. Having the extra weight hindered him somewhat, but she was far from the heaviest thing he had ever lifted. They reached the top in about five seconds, Jaune setting down his boisterous cargo. She was jumping up and down happily, giggling. "That was fun! We've got to do that again some day!"

Smiling at her energy, Jaune jumped back over the edge. As he plummeted, he registered the same sensation from his last freefall. Just like before, his velocity decreased dramatically, enough for him to land well by pushing hard off the cliff face near the base and rolling to a stop. Standing, he dusted himself off. "Nora is fine."

Ren, Ruby and Blake nodded, understanding that this was their cue to get moving. The secret faunus hurled Gambol Shroud upward, burying it in the wall at the full extension of its ribbon. Once it was secure, she started climbing up to the point she had reached. Once there, she retrieved her weapon, using a shadow clone like a platform to launch herself upward and repeat the process.

Ren took a running jump at the wall, Stormflower biting deep into the rock. From that point, he started the climb using his weapon as hand-holds. He moved smoothly and quickly, Aura wiping away the burning in his muscles as he focussed on the repetitive task at hand.

Ruby got ready next to Jaune, who had now picked up Yang. Both he and Ruby had expected her to make some joke about him carrying her bridal-style, but she was uncharacteristically silent. In fact, she had barely said a word since the group had worked together to catch Jaune. The blond decided that he would offer his help later on, once he'd delivered her to the cliff top.

Weiss conjured another road of glyphs, cueing Ruby and Jaune to run. The former vanished up the wall in a swirl of crimson petals, while the latter found himself actually being outrun. It was a novel experience, and he enjoyed it for the few seconds it lasted. Reaching the top of the wall, he laid his fellow blonde on her feet before stepping back off the cliff again.

It was almost exactly the same as the last time, with his velocity being reduced enough for him to break his own fall. Another dusting off, and Jaune held out his arms for his partner. She didn't hesitate this time, settling into the carry as the blond prepped himself for the run.

One final line of glyphs appeared, and Jaune took off with all the speed he could muster. Moving with Pyrrha was the most difficult, since her shield was far from aerodynamic and the heavy armour she wore slowed him down. He persevered though, finally escorting his final team mate to the finish.

Setting her down, the blond turned to look over the edge. Weiss was leaping from one glyph to another, gaining height gradually as she moved to meet up with them. Gambol Shroud curved through the air next to Jaune, and he caught it. Holding out the end to Pyrrha, the two pulled it backwards to get Blake up next to them.

Another lean over revealed Ren, about two-thirds of the way up. An idea blossomed, and the blond turned to Blake. "Blake, can we...pull Ren up the same way?"

Thinking about it for a second, the Faunus nodded. She moved over to the edge, finding the right spot to dangle the weapon down. The martial artist reached it considerably sooner than the cliff top, hanging from one half of Stormflower as he grabbed Gambol Shroud with the other hand.

The six people currently atop the cliff put their backs into the pull, and Ren almost flew over the ledge. He landed on his feet, returning his other weapon to his sleeve. Blake collected hers as well, and it only took Weiss another few seconds to rejoin them.

Looking around, everyone was accounted for. Smiles spread like wildfire soon after – they had made it. All eight of them had successfully passed the initiation.

A slow clapping came from the treeline, and professors Ozpin and Goodwitch strode forward. "Very well done, all eight of you. As individuals, partnerships and as one group you have demonstrated truly excellent team work. I am proud to have each and every one of you as my students this year. Now, if you'll give Professor Goodwitch your relics, you may follow me to the auditorium."

Jaune, Ruby, Nora and Blake moved forward to present their chess pieces to the Deputy Headmaster, who returned them to a bag at her feet. She tapped the control panel in her hand a few times, then nodded to the Headmaster. "Alright then. Come on, follow me."

Striding away into the trees, Ozpin led the fatigued group back toward Beacon's main campus. Glynda walked at the rear of the group, making sure that none of the exhausted students collapsed or somesuch.

As they moved, Jaune's senses picked up on something nearby. He turned to his right, eyes scanning the shadows. Leaning against a tree was the silhouette of a man with a cloak. He couldn't make out any details...but he felt sure it was grinning. He smiled in return, then moved a little quicker to catch up with his team.

* * *

Ozpin brought them to the door of the auditorium and gestured for them to enter. The group filed in...but when Jaune went to follow, the Headmaster put a finger on his shoulder. "Jaune, before I announce the teams, you should be prepared for this."

Reaching into his pocket, the Headmaster produced a scroll. Opening it, Jaune found himself looking at his own picture. "This is the...transcript that Qrow had me...sign." He noted, wondering why Ozpin was showing this to him.

"Yes, it is. The part you need to see is here." Ozpin's thumb indicated a part of the screen with writing, and the blond focussed on it. It took a moment or two, but he managed to recognise the collection of letters.

It only took a moment for him to realise why Ozpin was telling him this now. "I understand, Headmaster. Thank you for...warning me...ahead of time."

The grey-haired man nodded, patting Jaune lightly on the shoulder.

The teen didn't say another word, but gave Ozpin a tiny smile before moving into the building.

The two professors watched him go, one inscrutable and one mournful. "I hope we made the right choice..." She said, more to herself than to her companion.

"So do I, Glynda. So do I."

* * *

Jaune stood with the other seven members of the group, shoulder-to-shoulder with Pyrrha. Ozpin had been announcing teams, and had just finalised the formation of team CRDL.

He began to read out names, and Jaune closed his eyes as the sound rang out. "Pyrrha Nikos, Nora Valkyrie, Lie Ren..." There was a slight pause, one that you might not even register, before the last name was called out.

"Jaune Arc."

The blond felt like his heart shuddered a little, while it suddenly became that much harder to stand up straight. It wasn't just the spirit of his home he would have to carry, now - he would bear its name as well. He felt a bit dazed, and followed his partner on autopilot as they climbed the stage. All three of the other teens looked at him with slight concern, wondering why he had reacted so much to his name being called out.

"The four of you collected the White Rook pieces." Ozpin told them, as well as the hall at large. "From this day on, you will work together as Team Juniper. Led...by Jaune Arc."

As if being given such a weighty name hadn't been enough of a shock for the blond, as soon as Ozpin named him team leader he almost physically staggered.

His gaze met the headmaster's, searching for any kind of message in those eyes. The man leaned forward, and whispered quietly, "Congratulations, young man." Jaune was sure there was a message in there somewhere...but Ozpin was already preparing to read off the next names, and so the blond followed his team off the stage.

Glynda Goodwitch was standing just off the stage, and she passed Jaune a Scroll and a sheet of paper. "Instructions for finding your dorm." She didn't show any sign of knowing Jaune already, treating him as she would any other student. _'_ _Thank you, Glynda,'_ he thought to himself, resolving to add the professor to his growing list of people who needed to be thanked. The rest of JNPR received the same two items, the momentary delay allowing the blond to move away to the closest wall.

As Team RWBY was formed in the background, JNPR's new leader leaned against the wall and took deep breaths. _'_ _He made me team leader. Oh hell, he made me team leader.'_ A strong hand on his shoulder snapped him out of the panicky thoughts, and green eyes met his own.

"It's alright Jaune. You'll make a great leader." The blond let out a long sigh, leaning on his partner as he tried to calm down.

"I will...certainly try." He told her, managing a small smile.

"Don't you mean you'll succeed? Don't tell me you were all talk this morning, lady killer?" Yang was, apparently, back to her usual self. She clapped her fellow blonde on the back, grinning.

"Well, we've been assigned dorms. We should probably go there." Ruby interjected, although she did move forward and give Jaune a quick hug. "Congratulations on being made leader, by the way." She backed away quickly, putting her sister between the two of them.

"Thanks, Ruby."

Blake and Weiss both nodded to him, though there was a tightness of irritation in the latter's expression even through the involuntary relaxation brought on by fatigue. Gestures complete, they joined the procession following the two sisters currently heading for the dormitories.

Turning around, Jaune faced his team. Ren gave him a nod of his own, while Nora flashed a salute. Pyrrha gave him an encouraging smile, and he steadied himself. "Alright, team. Let us find our rooms."

The four of them set off across the room, spilling out into the courtyard. The dormitories were set a little apart from most of the other buildings, and JNPR reached the building after a few minutes. Heading inside, Jaune looked down at the instructions in his hands.

To his utmost relief, most of the directions were drawn instead of written. He led his team down several corridors, finally coming to the correct door. Jaune fished in his pocket for a moment, retrieving the Scroll he'd been given. Pressing to a panel beside the door, an electronic beep heralded the door's unlocking.

As he pushed it open, Nora somehow managed to get past him into the room. By the time the blond had located the light switch, the hammer-wielder had already claimed a bed. "Oh Ren, they're so bouncy! We should totally make a fort out of these things!"

The martial artist sighed as he moved into the room, following his new leader and his partner. "Nora, we can't play Queen of the Castle with school property. Don't you remember how much work we had to do to pay off the last time?"

Nora frowned at her oldest friend, though it was somewhat offset by the fact that she was still bouncing. "Renny, you're no fun sometimes."

Jaune idly wondered why she sometimes added a random 'y' to the end of people's names, while he sat down on one of the other beds. Ren settled into the one nearest Nora's, while Pyrrha took the remaining one.

On the floor of the room were three bags, each marked with one of the team's names. The only one absent was Jaune, and his newest friends picked up on that immediately. "Hey Jaune, where's your luggage?" Ren asked, scanning the floor in case he'd missed it.

 _'Oh hell. Think fast Jaune, think fast!'_ "I...lost it."

The martial artist raised an eyebrow, regarding his team leader coolly. "You lost it."

The blond nodded, grinning sheepishly.

Ren sighed, then set to unpacking his own belongings. The girls started to as well, while Jaune simply lay down on the bed. Feeling something strange under the covers, he stood and pulled them back. There was something blue curled up in the centre...

There was a note on top of it. Picking it up, Jaune stared at the short message while he decyphered its meaning. _Jaune, figured you need some pyjamas. Enjoy. -Qrow_

This was from Qrow? The blond grabbed the puddle of blue fabric, lifting it up so he could better examine it. It was an unbroken piece of fabric done in baby blue, with a zip on the front and...ears on the feet?

There was also a rabbit face on the front of it. Jaune's head tilted to one side as he examined it, trying to understand why his rescuer had got it for him. "Uh...Jaune? Is that yours?"

The blond turned to face his partner, who was eyeing the clothing with a strange look on her face. "I...think so. It is from a..." He paused, frowning. What was Qrow to him that didn't reveal his past? He couldn't say teacher or rescuer...nor was he family...so, was he a friend? Yes. "...friend." He finished at last, still trying to understand Qrow's purpose in giving it to him.

"Well, it's very...cute." Pyrrha's face was turning a bit red, and Jaune found the word's meaning a moment after she spoke it.

"You think it is...cute?" He asked idly, turning it around to see if there was anything on the back. There wasn't.

"Yes..." The champion's voice tailed off a little at admitting such a thing in front of three others, but needn't have worried. Nora was immediately next to her, eyeing the onesie.

"Yeah, that's pretty cute. You have good taste Pyrrha!" The red-haired warrior's blush deepened as she coughed into her hand, turning away.

The blond she had been talking to shrugged to himself, pulling off his hoodie so he could go and take a shower. As the fabric cleared his back, Nora's laughter suddenly died away.

* * *

He heard three distinct intakes of breath behind him. Once the garment was fully removed, he turned back to his team mates. All of them wore expressions of shock, even Nora.

"Jaune...what _happened_ to you?" Asked his partner, walking forward a couple of steps as if in a dream. One hand reached out and, very tentatively, she laid a single finger on his torso.

"Oh, you mean the...scars? They are from training." He replied easily, wondering why they were so shocked. He had suffered a lot of injuries in his time, and for one reason or another a lot of them hadn't healed properly. He'd long ago gotten used to their appearance, and though Aura didn't erase them it _did_ prevent them from tightening his skin, so he paid it no mind these days.

For his team, however, it was that was impossible. There didn't seem to be a square inch of Jaune's torso and back which didn't bear a scar of some kind. Some were long and jagged, others more resembled bite marks. On his back were two very distinct injuries – they started at his shoulder blades and moved down, long diagonals that came to a stop around his lower back. Those weren't jagged...they had been done deliberately, with a weapon of some kind.

The sheer scale of the criss-crossing injuries was astounding. The pain the marks represented outstripped just about anything the trio could conceive of, and yet each of them could tell - Jaune honestly didn't care. Despite all that the marks entailed, to him, it was...normal.

Nora moved forward as well, and wrapped her arms around the blond. It wasn't bouncy and full of life like most of her interactions. Instead, she just tried to do...something. Anything, to try and balance out all the suffering the young man's body attested to. Pyrrha very nearly followed, though instead the warrior chose to rest her hand on her leader's shoulder in a gesture of solidarity.

Jaune looked at the two, a slight frown visible as he cocked his head. "Pyrrha, Nora are you...alright?"

The shorter girl looked up at him, and tears shimmered in her eyes. "Are we alright...? Jaune, what about you? These scars...you look like you were dragged through hell." Her voice was a whisper, as she tried to understand the scope of what he must have been through.

The blond's head straightened as he connected long-unused dots in his mind. A moment later, he laid a hand on each of their shoulders. "Many of them are very...old. I got...over them. Pain...never lasts."

His explanation didn't seem to deter Nora – but he did notice that Pyrrha squeezed his shoulder a bit tighter for a moment as he said that.

Just then, there came a quiet knock at the door. JNPR all turned to look at it, and Jaune took his opportunity, very gently disengaging from Nora. As he did so, Pyrrha gave another light squeeze before she relinquished her grip. "I am...perfectly fine." He told them, smiling as reassuringly as he knew how. "No need to...worry about the past."

In a few steps he moved over to the portal, pulling it open. On the other side was Yang, who took one look at the blond in front of her and froze. "Jaune...what..." Her lilac eyes stared in horror at the young man in the doorway, who sighed quietly.

"They are...nothing, Yang. Now come inside. This talk must be...private."

Moving on autopilot, the blonde brawler moved into the room. Jaune closed the door behind her, leaning on it a bit as he steadied himself for a moment.

When his resolve was firm, he turned back to face the room's four other occupants. All eyes were on him – a situation he'd never been overly fond of, even among his family. No matter how much he loved his sisters and parents, having all of their gazes target him at once had been uncomfortable. He wasn't made for the spotlight.

Nora was standing next to Ren, both of them still staring at the tapestry of suffering on display. Pyrrha's eyes sought his own, and he could see the questions and sympathy there. Yang's eyes moved between his face and his torso, apparently unsure which she should focus on.

Moving back to the bed he'd claimed for his own, Jaune re-donned his hoodie. "I...forgot that my scars were so...unusual. I am sorry you had to see them." Several voices made to form words, but he raised a hand and they quieted instantly.

Taking deep breaths, the blond took a seat on his bed, facing his audience. "In fact, I...suppose I have...forgotten what is 'normal' almost...entirely. I...believe I should tell you why." He clasped his hands, leaning forward a bit as he wondered how to start.

"I suppose I should begin with where I came from. I did not live in one of the kingdoms. My home was an out-lands village called Arc." There was dead silence in the room when Jaune wasn't speaking – all attention was on him, and he focussed on the feeling of his clasped hands to try and blot it out.

"Seven years ago, we were...attacked. The Grimm came and they...destroyed everything. I...lost my family and my friends. I do not...believe anyone else survived at all. At the time, I went to get help...but I...failed. I got lost, and I...wandered."

Nora looked like she'd built up a mental picture of his circumstances from that alone...and wasn't happy about it. There was an incredibly deep well of sympathy in those teal orbs, but further back there was rage, burning like the fires of armageddon. Apparently, she didn't take well to people she liked suffering.

Ren had an arm around his shoulders, but Jaune couldn't even begin to guess what was going on behind those placid eyes.

"It took me...seven years to find...another person." His fingers tightened, bones grinding against each other. "I learned to kill the Grimm so I could...survive. That was my...training, Pyrrha. I...became stronger, so I could find help."

Yang was...well, horrified was the only thing he could think of. He just couldn't decide if she was focussing that feeling outwards, to his past, or inwards, for prompting him to resurrect these memories and recount them. Pyrrha was gritting her teeth and clenching her fists – apparently, Nora wasn't the only one who didn't appreciate his experiences. But the taller warrior's anger was more tightly reigned in, more controlled – if Nora burned like a forge, then Pyrrha was laser-focussed.

"...Five days ago, I met a Huntsman. He...guided me to Vale, and...introduced me to Ozpin, who took me in."

Finally looking up from his hands, the blond took in the room's occupants while spreading his arms, inadvertently pulling up his sleeves - and now that they knew what to look for, the four others in the room could see the silvery-white marks which crisscrossed his palms, fingers and wrists, leading up into the sleeves and twisting out from beneath them. "Now here I am."

Ren and Nora were still side by side, the smaller figure covering the hand dangling over her shoulder with her own as the martial artist did...whatever he did when he shut off all expression.

Pyrrha had fisted her hands in her bedsheets as she took deep breaths. She appeared to be calming down, but Jaune had seen actions like that before. He knew the anger wasn't being released – it was being buried, saved as ammunition to be unleashed at an appropriate time. That she had felt such rage on his behalf was simultaneously heartwarming...and painful. For both of them, he suspected.

Then he turned to Yang.

Her head was bowed when he looked to her, but after a short while she climbed to her feet, moving over to him with short steps. When she was in arm's reach, she very gently wrapped him in a hug. "...I'm so sorry." She whispered, not trusting herself with anything more than that. "I'm so, so sorry...I didn't..." The brawler took large gulps of air, and felt someone gently pat her on the shoulder.

"It is fine, Yang. You were so...good to me, you...deserved the truth. I just...did not want to seem...strange."

His words didn't seem to help, as the blonde collapsed into a sitting position next to Jaune. She rocked back and forth a little, one hand reaching out and gently stroking the team leader's hair.

"...Ruby wants our teams to be friends," she began after a minute, thoughts starting to come back together. "So, please...hang around with us a little?" She seemed scared, and her fellow blond realised she must think he'd be angry.

"'I do not have a choice'...remember?" He smiled at the brawler, squeezing her shoulder in the way people had done to him so often. A small laugh escaped her, and his smile widened.

"Yeah...I do. Jaune, I...I'll see you tomorrow." Yang stood up quickly once more, then nearly ran to the door, almost fleeing from the dorm. In her wake, JNPR's leader surveyed his team.

Standing himself, he walked over to Pyrrha first. She looked up when he settled beside her, the flame like a sun's heart fading in her eyes as her natural compassion came to the fore instead. "Jaune...I..." She didn't even know where to start, what to say. What _could_ she say? She had no point of relation. She had absolutely no idea what to do, and it wasn't a feeling she liked.

Jaune himself didn't seem to mind though. Instead, he smiled at her, wrapping her in a quick hug. "Thank you Pyrrha, for...caring about me." The earnest appreciation in his voice tripped a switch in the Mistrali champion, and she wrapped her arms around her partner in turn. For his sake or her own, she didn't know – but with the exhaustion of the day's exertions, and of raising and storing so much rage, she succumbed to the vibrant warmth seeping from the form in her arms, and fell asleep.

The blond leader knew the moment his partner passed into sweet oblivion, and he smiled to himself as he released her hold on him to lay her back on the bed. It took a few moments, but he was able to figure out to undo her boots. Once he had them off, he turned her so that she was lying on the bed properly, and put the covers over her. Familiar motions, harkening back to better times. His smile turned bittersweet, but he hid that before he turned back to the other half of his team.

Ren had, apparently, done much the same for his partner as Jaune had done for his. Nora was slumbering quietly in the bed, magenta eyes regarding her softly as Ren stood at her bedside. He turned, and the young men's eyes met. For the first time that night, the martial artist allowed his control to slip – and Jaune could see the sympathy there. "I know a thing or two about loss..." Ren told him, quietly. "Not enough to truly grasp what you went through, but just enough to understand the importance of moving on."

Blue eyes shifted to the short warrior curled up on the bed, magenta following suit. "Nora will be fine in the morning." Ren asserted, apparently speaking from experience. "She was really riled up though; more so than I've seen in years." Magenta eyes turned back to their leader. "She's taken a real shine to you. Might wanna keep an eye on her if you ever end up headed out with just the two of you – she's going to be looking for a chance to work off that anger."

JNPR's leader nodded, acknowledging the fact, before rising from his seat beside Pyrrha and sighing to himself.

In one day, he had managed to: Scare and worry his partner by performing a life-endangering maneuver with no warning, trouble his newfound friends by having to catch him after he fell off a Nevermore, cause Yang some severe emotional distress, and put mental stress on his two female teammates. And God only knew what he'd done to Ren, because he couldn't read him well enough to tell.

"I have not been a very good leader so far." He summarised quietly, moving over to his bed again. Moving to one of the two bathrooms the dorm apparently had with the blue pyjamas in hand, he just caught the martial artist's words as he walked away.

"Only you think that."

The blond closed the door behind him with a quiet thump, leaving both young men alone with their thoughts...and their memories.

* * *

Across the hall, Yang stood in RWBY's bathroom staring into the mirror. Tears coursed down her cheeks, and her hands were clenched into fists. Grief and anger rose up in equal measure, and she couldn't deal with either of them.

She brought both her hands down on the counter, hoping that the pain would somehow bring relief.

 _'_ _You want to use pain to run away...after seeing his scars? After hearing what happened to him?'_

The blonde's teeth were gritted as the voice, her own voice, taunted her. It was her fault he'd had to talk about that...she had forced him to, because she had assumed it was nothing she couldn't deal with.

 _'Arrogance.'_

Yang slowly sank downward, her forehead coming to rest on the counter. All the emotions welling up in her seemed to cancel each other out, and she choked on her own sobs.

"Yang?"

Ruby walked quietly into the bathroom, finding her sister slumped in front of the counter. Her body was wracked with sobs that tore at her lungs, eyes screwed shut. RWBY's leader moved over to the blonde, crouching down beside her and wrapping her in a hug.

The tears began to flow more freely after that, her sister's presence serving to heighten the guilt she felt. _'_ _He was just a kid...like Ruby, he was just a kid...'_

Thoughts of a dark wood and glowing eyes swam to the forefront of her mind, and the two sisters stayed there for a very long time.

* * *

Out in the hall between the two rooms, Qrow stood and gritted his teeth. His niece, and the boy he found himself thinking of more and more as a sort of son, were both a single door away. One was crying, guilt invading her mind and heart. The other was full of doubt, drawing a line between himself and the team he thought he'd let down.

 _'Damn it...'_ He stood like an upright shadow in the centre of the corridor, and just listened to the sounds of suffering. _'_ _Summer...why did you always have to be so damn kind...'_ He silently, if half-heartedly, cursed the shining smile in his memories, and the feelings it had brought back to him. _'_ _It was easier when I didn't have a heart.'_

* * *

Ozpin stood in his office, time moving forward one click at a time. _'_ _So he chose to share his past...'_

The Headmaster looked out over Vale, where millions of souls were peacefully resting. _'_ _I do not doubt that JNPR will be much closer after this. But I wonder if Jaune himself will see it that way...'_

More of the constant ticking, the figure at the window not moving in the slightest.

 _'Jaune's fate is intertwined with that of those close to him, in the way of all children. Depending on the bonds he makes here, he might rise the highest or fall the lowest of any student I've ever had.'  
_

The silver-haired man let out a long sigh, turning his eyes to the heavens.

 _'And take all of us with him.'  
_

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **11,000 words. 11,000 ! Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new record!**

 **Of course, we also have a record number of followers at over 200. Seriously, you people are _amazing!_ So, I present to you the latest chapter.**

 **I hope you enjoyed reading this even partially as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you have any comments or criticism, please leave a review and I'll be sure to get back to you. Enjoy your day!**

 **EDIT 18.09.2016: Redid the confession part, made a few spelling changes, fixed a couple of grammatical errors.**


	6. VI - Circling Wagons

19/12/2016 - Several alterations and revisions to comply with the previous edits.

* * *

It was the smell of food which woke NPR. The glorious scent of pancakes and coffee wafted through the dorm room, gently pulling the slumbering figures into the world of the waking.

Pyrrha just lay in the bed for a few moments as memory returned, recalling all that had happened the night before. _'_ _No one should have to go through that._ Especially _not Jaune.'_ The mere thought of someone as... _bright_ as Jaune suffering in such a way made her teeth grind once more, until she got a reign on it. _'_ _Save it for later. For the Grimm.'_

Sitting up, she cast her eyes around – and quickly realised something was wrong.

There was no Jaune.

His bed was empty, that blue onesie puddled on the covers. It looked like he had been awake for quite some time.

Sitting in the centre of the room were three trays, each piled high with pancakes, fruits and a mug of coffee apiece. There was also a piece of paper lying on them... Pyrrha leaned down and picked it up, noting that the handwriting wasn't connected. It was all very carefully written, along the same lines as Jaune's speech.

 _Classes start at nine. Having breakfast in the dorm should save you some time. I will meet you in History._

 _-Jaune_

The paper rustled as she gripped it tighter. The warrior moved over to the window, letting the message fall back onto her bed. Nora picked it up a few seconds later, Ren reading it over her shoulder. As the red-head stared out over the Emerald Forest, she whispered to herself. "Jaune..."

* * *

Jaune had returned to his seat on the academy's architecture, where he had gone the previous morning. His team had still been asleep when he left, but he hoped that his getting them breakfast would allow them to rest a bit longer.

After everything he'd dumped on them the previous night, they needed it.

He had carefully not made any mention of Lailah. Not only did he feel like it would interfere with his promise to Qrow, it was a whole different side of his story. They didn't need to hear that now, and he didn't want to tell them. Not after seeing what he'd done just sketching the outlines of his past.

No, Lailah would stay between himself, Qrow, Glynda and Ozpin. But at the moment, he almost wished that he had simply chosen not to talk with Yang about the rest either. _'_ _I wanted so badly to stay friends with her and Ruby...but was that selfish? I made Yang hurt because of something I wanted...'_

That wasn't even considering the strain he'd placed on Pyrrha and Nora. Plus, Ren had said he knew something about loss – so even if it didn't show, the odds were he'd managed to stir up some painful memories for the martial artist.

Last night had truly been an unmitigated disaster. The blond pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. _'_ _I've only known them a few days, and I already did this to them...maybe I shouldn't have come back.'_

He wasn't normal, after all. He just had to face it. He was...twisted, broken. Seven years in the out-lands had changed him too much. He buried his head between his knees, gritting his teeth. _'_ _I guess I was always meant to be alone.'_

A rustle of cloth heralded Qrow's arrival. He settled down beside his charge, not saying a word. They stayed like that for several minutes, the dark Huntsman knowing that his friend just needed time.

"Qrow...was my coming back a good thing?"

"Yes." The answer was instantaneous, without the slightest hesitation. There was no doubt in his voice either – he answered as if he had been asked if the sky was blue.

"I am not so sure." Jaune's voice was quiet, weighty. The older man stayed silent, just listening now.

"I told my team and Yang about my...past. It...hurt them. I hurt them." The blond's voice shook, a potent mix of rage, pain, shame and sorrow threatening to send him spiraling out of control.

"I know." Qrow replied simply. His voice was perfectly even, as if the conversation was as normal as grass. "I also know that wasn't what you were trying to do."

There was a nod of acknowledgment from the slumped figure beside him, but the point didn't seem to have helped. "I did not...mean to, but I did it anyway. I cannot even...control who I hurt."

The older man nodded, face still passive and voice still steady. "That's not unusual. People are tricky things, one of the reasons I avoid them. The wrong word here, a little gesture here, and suddenly it's off to the land of white jackets and rubber cells. But you never know what'll do it until it happens. It's just...human." A hint of feeling entered his voice on the last word. It was a little bit of laughter, a little bit of sorrow.

The curled-up figure sitting next to him seemed to loosen slightly. "I do not know how to...fix what I have done." Jaune's voice was hoarse now, but more sorrowful than anything else. The anger and the shame were fading, the blame he had heaped on himself dislodged by Qrow's words.

"There isn't a guide book, Jaune. There aren't any cheat codes or shortcuts, either. Life is one long back and forth – you make mistakes, and you try to fix them. More often than not, more often than you'd like, you end up making more mistakes - but eventually, there'll come a day when you've fixed more than you've broken. Until that happens, you'll just have to muddle along like the rest of us."

Jaune looked up, his blue eyes becoming visible. "I wish I had not told them. I could have...spared them that."

Qrow raised a single finger. "Well yeah, you _could_ have done that - but that'd mean losing your first friends here, wouldn't it?"

Jaune blinked in shock. "How did you know that?"

The Huntsman smirked. "Well, I didn't – not for sure. But while Yang's little trick with her hair would probably keep what she said secret from anyone else? I know her too well. I know _you_ too well, for that matter."

The blond's head tilted, the first sign of any feeling outside the negative since Qrow had laid eyes on him that morning. "Qrow, you know Yang and Ruby?"

The older man chuckled, nodding. "They're my nieces."

This seemed to stun his younger friend, who stared into space for a few seconds. He seemed to be thinking, and the dark Huntsman was content to give him the time. "But they are so... _nice_."

Qrow turned his head sharply to look at his friend. The pained look on Jaune's face had slid away, leaving behind a small grin and a mischievous light in his eyes. "I knew I should've never let you meet Yang..." He muttered, but the corner of his own mouth twitched. _'_ _That pun was_ terrible. _Oh well, there'll be time to teach him proper quipping later_.' The veteran stood, the early morning breeze lifting his cloak. "I should get going. Things to do, people to see." He paused. "Oh, and Jaune?"

Jaune looked up, curious. "Yes Qrow?"

From the blond's perspective, the air around Qrow seemed to darken, the peaceful sunlight falling away and leaving a murky abyss. The Huntsman turned slowly to look at him, and all Jaune could focus on were his eyes, which seemed lit from within like the fires of Hell. Behind Qrow's head, there was an impression of...feathers? And that sound - were those wing-beats?

Then he spoke, and Jaune didn't think he could have paid more attention if his eyelids were nailed open. **"If you so much as make Ruby _hiccup_ , I will drag you into _the depths of Hell itself._ " **

And then, Qrow was just standing there as always - cocky smirk in place and placing two fingers to his temple in a quick salute. "Just so we're clear, kid. Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" With his parting words, the Huntsman stepped off the stone structure and fell to the ground. As soon as his feet made contact, he seemed to vanish.

The blond remained in place a few moments longer, frozen as he recovered from what must have been the third strongest dose of killing intent he'd ever been on the wrong side of – right behind his mother and... _ **it**_.

He was absolutely certain that he didn't want to go against that command...but first, he'd have to figure out what Qrow had _meant_. _  
_

* * *

Jaune remained in his seat for a good quarter of an hour, cross-legged and replaying all the times he had interacted with Ruby over the past few days as he tried to puzzle out why Qrow had warned him like that - and just what he was warning him _against_.

His train of thought was interrupted when his Scroll made a beeping noise, and he pulled it out. A message was being displayed...he managed to get the meaning after only a few seconds.

 _Class in 10 minutes._

 _'Thank you, Glynda.'_ The blond smiled a bit, absolutely sure that the blonde professor had done this for him. He got to his feet, stretching to get his blood flowing again. Returning the device to his pocket, he followed in Qrow's footsteps as he fell back to the ground.

Jaune set off towards the main building, finding other first years walking the corridors. He followed along behind them, recalling the path to the History classroom from his visit with Glynda. As he walked in, he heard someone calling his name. A quick visual search of the stands showed his team, Pyrrha waving to him.

He set off towards them, moving quickly up the stairs. A foot appeared in his path, and he adjusted his steps accordingly. "Sorry!" He called over his shoulder, noting that the foot had belonged to a hulking figure with auburn hair.

Turning his attention back to his teammates, the leader found his partner standing to meet him. She looked him over with eyes that were a touch worried, a touch reproachful...but mostly glad to see him. "Jaune – thank goodness. Do you know how worried we got when we got up?" Apparently that was a rhetorical question, because she immediately moved on to giving him a thorough once-over. "Now, how are you?"

The blond smiled at her, giving her a quick hug that she was somewhat less hesitant to return than she had been the day before. "I am fine, Pyrrha. How are you?" As he broke away and sat down, she gave a subtle shrug of her shoulders.

"A bit tired, but nothing important. Although I could have done without spending the morning worrying like that." Yep, that was _definitely_ a reproachful look in her eyes now – and on her tongue, too.

"My...apologies, Pyrrha." He meant it sincerely; after all, he had been hoping to avoid causing more issues by removing himself from their presence – apparently, he had achieved the complete opposite result.

"So long as it doesn't happen again." She told him, smiling now. "But you certainly handled it well – before you ran off, that is."

Jaune acknowledged the comment for the question he was fairly sure it was. "My family...taught me a lot." His smile wasn't the bright thing it normally was, but it was there nonetheless. Memories of his sisters were happy; his father had managed to spare him the sight of them...after. Jaune had cried about it then - but now, he understood. His father was just trying to protect him - like he had until the end.

One of Pyrrha's hands curled into a tight fist, fingernails digging into her palm. The blond saw it, reaching down gently and taking the hand in his own. "Pyrrha, please. It is...incredibly kind of you to be so...angry on my...behalf, but I would prefer you to be...happy."

There was a moment's pause, and then the warrior nodded. "...Alright then, Jaune. I can't say I won't get angry like that...but I'll try and reign it in."

Though he worried that perhaps that would just cause her more issues in time, the blond decided that if he simply avoided or averted anything to cause more such feelings, then this shouldn't cause his partner any more harm. "Thank you, Pyrrha."

"Not a problem, Jaune."

As Pyrrha steadied her breathing, Jaune leaned forward a little so he could see Ren and Nora. The hammer wielder smiled at him – it was a complicated expression, with what he was fairly sure were sadness, sympathy, relief and joy all mixed in – but it got the message across. She was fine.

Ren was inscrutable as always...but he offered his leader a nod, and a genuine – if small – grin.

Jaune's smile returned. _'_ _I might not have properly fixed things...but this is a start.'_ His partner seemed back to normal, so he let go of her hand.

Moments later, the classroom door flew open. Through the now-open doorway blurred Doctor Oobleck, his outline impossible to discern at the speeds he was moving with. With the scribbling sound of chalk, the teacher's name was suddenly up on the board next to his collage of dates and events.

"Good morning class I am Doctor Batholomew Oobleck and I will be your history teacher for your first year here at Beacon! Now if you could all open the textbooks in front of you to the first page we will begin today with some basic world history."

It took a moment for the class to respond, comprehension dawning once they had time to actually process what was being said. Jaune pulled the book open, taking a deep breath. _'_ _Okay. I have to keep up with everyone else.'_

Doctor Oobleck began writing on the board, words appearing at the kind of speed normally attributed to speaking. "The history of Remnant is a long and rich one in which records extend back to just before the formation of the four kingdoms..."

 _'...Oh Hell.'_

* * *

JNPR staggered out of the class, along with the flow of other students. "That was...insane." Jaune managed, still trying to recover from the mental whiplash he'd received from trying to keep up.

Nora nodded dumbly in agreement, with Ren and Pyrrha following suit. The two of them had just been able to keep up, but it hadn't been easy. Their notes were a complete mess as they tried to write at high-speeds without looking at what they were writing.

"I have to agree. The good Doctor is certainly skilled, but I wonder if surviving his class is part of our training." Pyrrha sighed, as she cracked the bones in her neck. A hum from Jaune indicated his agreement, though it stopped suddenly mere moments after beginning.

Instead, there was a surprised expulsion of air behind them.

Turning around, NPR found their leader currently supporting a massive teen with his left hand. It looked like the auburn-haired youth had been in the middle of stumbling toward the blond, which would have undoubtedly knocked him over.

Instead, Jaune had placed his hand at just the right point for the boy to be brought to a complete halt without hurting him. "Are you...alright?" He asked, cobalt blue eyes seeking darker orbs.

"Just fine." Snarled the hulking figure, regaining his footing.

"Okay then." Jaune then turned around, and rejoined his team as they walked toward the dining hall. Entering, they gathered lunch for themselves. Their leader scanned the hall for a moment, quickly identifying team RWBY. The blond led his team over to the group, settling down next to Ruby.

"Hello, everyone." He greeted them, getting polite nods in return from both Weiss and Blake.

Ruby, who looked a little tired, smiled at him. "Hello, Jaune. So, what did you think of our history professor?" The blond winced, bringing a hand to his head.

"I do not...doubt that he is very good at...history. He is very...fast though."

The brunette next to him nodded.

"Yeah, he really is. I don't understand how anyone can speak that fast..." With a small shudder of her own, Jaune's fellow leader turned back to her food. As she did, Jaune saw his fellow blonde looking away from them further down the table.

He frowned a little, then turned to his partner, who was sitting next to him. "I think Yang is...still upset. I will go and...try to help." Pyrrha seemed like she might try to stop him for a moment...but then she shook her head, waving him on.

Leaving his tray with the red-head, Jaune moved further down the table and sat next to the brawler. "Yang." He greeted happily, prompting his fellow blonde to turn away.

"Jaune." Though she returned the greeting, her voice seemed strained.

"I am...sorry about last night." He told her, cutting straight to the point. For all her figures of speech, his friend seemed to prefer the straightforward approach. The brawler laughed - the sound was anything but happy.

"You're sorry? Jaune, what do you even have to be sorry for?"

"If I had not been...selfish, and wanted to be...friends with you and Ruby, I would not have told you my...story. Then you would not have been hurt."

Lilac eyes turned and met blue, incredulity writ wide. "So...you're blaming yourself for last night's conversation?" Jaune nodded, face serious.

That dark laugh came again, the brawler resting the fingers of her right hand on the bridge of her nose. "What am I going to do with you...Jaune, last night only happened because of me. I should have given you the benefit of the doubt, gone on faith. Instead I poked my nose where it didn't belong, and _forced_ you to reveal something you wanted to stay buried."

Those lilac eyes were a little watery as they remained locked on his blue, Yang's strong voice now low and shakey. "Any hurt I'm feeling is entirely my fault. You understand? It's on me - don't go blaming yourself."

The brawler turned away then, not able to hold his gaze any longer. Jaune just looked at the side of her face for a moment, thinking. Then, he sat back in his seat, arms folded. "No."

Yang turned back to him, frowning. "No what?"

Jaune met her frown with one of his own. "No, it is not your fault."

Yang's brows came together as she leaned forward. "Were you _listening_ , Jaune? How is this _not_ my fault?"

Her fellow blonde leaned in too, eyes focussed on nothing but lilac. "I will...rephrase. It is not...completely your fault. It is at...least partially mine. So do not...blame yourself so much."

The orbs on which he had been so focussed blinked a few times, before their owner snorted. "That's your angle? That we're as guilty as each other?"

Jaune nodded happily. "Yes."

Another laugh started to grow. This time, it was genuine – the black laugh of earlier had been replaced by something full of life. "Oh, you're a real piece of work. Can't you let me have my melodrama?"

JNPR's leader was sporting a massive grin, happy to see that his friend was back. "Not a chance. You are...prettier without it."

The laughter spluttered to a halt, the brawler taken completely off guard. She turned to look at the imp beside her, that mischievous light in his eyes again. "Oh, it's like that is it?"

Yang pointed a finger in challenge, dead-centre on Jaune's face. "This means war, and flattery won't save you!" That grin of his grew even wider, and a chuckle rolled forth.

"I hope you can...keep up, Xiao Long." With his last shot, JNPR's leader took his leave. Returning to his seat a few spaces up the table, he started on his meal.

Pyrrha looked at him, having heard the laughter and now seeing the massive smile on his face. "I take it she's feeling better?" Her partner turned to face her, nodding happily.

"It looks like I have...made a start on fixing what I did."

 _'He thinks this is just the start...?'_ The red-head wondered, seeing the life dancing in her partner's eyes. _'..._ _I have the sinking suspicion that I'll be seeking Ren's council sooner rather than later.'_ Shaking her head, Pyrrha spoke up. "Yes, I think..." Her voice trailed off.

Jaune...wasn't in his seat anymore? When had he...

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

* * *

Spinning around, Pyrrha found that her partner was across the hall. One hand was currently wrapped around a person's wrist...that auburn giant from earlier, she realised. Standing behind the blond was a brunette with...rabbit ears?

The red-head's eyes narrowed as she stood, striding quickly towards her partner. The giant was staring down at the blond figure in front of him, snarling. "I said, what the hell do you think you're doing? You deaf or something?"

Jaune's blue eyes were fixed on the youth's face - except those weren't Jaune's eyes. The tall guy seemed to realise that too, if his sudden silence was any indication. The mischievous life of moments ago was gone - vanished like a raindrop in high summer. The blue was cold now; colder than ice, a cold that burned.

Pyrrha stopped in her tracks, feeling a strange pressure in the air around her. She couldn't move – couldn't bring herself to form words. Somehow, she _knew_ it was all coming from Jaune, whose grip on the other man's wrist hadn't moved one iota.

"What do you think _you_ are doing?" He asked in return, and Pyrrha might have taken a step back if not for the dual boosts of her newfound paralysis, and her faith in her leader. There was a _bite_ to that voice, a hiss that sent shivers down her spine. "A Faunus takes pride in their traits. To let someone else touch them is a sign of trust and respect. It is reserved for the closest of friends. You _dare_ to mock that?"

The auburn giant didn't seem so tall anymore. Before Pyrrha's eyes he seemed to shrink, curling in on himself in the face of the fury before him. Jaune's grip hadn't moved yet. _'_ _With how strong he is, there's any number of things he could from that position...'_ His partner realised, gulping slightly. _'_ _And with how fast he is, no one can stop him before he does it.'_

Gathering herself, she tried forcing herself to start moving again. It took serious effort, but she was a long time combatant and stubborn when she wanted to be. She managed to take one step forward, and from there the pressure lessened. Slowly, the red-head began to cross the distance between them. "Jaune?" She called, hating how her voice shook.

The blond's head didn't turn, his eyes still boring into the figure before him – but he still answered. "Pyrrha." His words carried clearly...strangely so, actually. A moment later it hit her – there was no noise. The entire hall had gone completely silent, that strange pressure holding everyone still.

"Don't you think he's learned?" She asked, finally in arm's reach.

"Learned? I have not even begun to teach yet." Pyrrha almost flinched away - the rage dripping from every word was discordant on the air.

"Jaune, look at him. He's down, she's safe. You've done all you need to." Now the blond turned to look at her, those eyes meeting her own. The champion stood and looked back, forcing herself to maintain the connection. "Don't go too far, Jaune. Please."

Jaune looked back to the curled mass at his feet, its arm still in his hand. He looked back to his partner for a moment, deliberating. Then, he let the arm go. It moved faster than gravity would allow, pulled to the giant's chest. JNPR's leader squatted down, his own face inches from the terrified visage of the larger youth. "My partner thinks you have learned. I suggest you prove her right."

His final warning delivered, Jaune moved to his feet. Just a moment later, the doors to the hall exploded open. "Jaune!"

The call echoed out through the silent building, two voices as one. Qrow and Glynda's eyes were fixed on the blond figure standing over the huddled mass of student.

He turned slowly, meeting their eyes across the intervening distance. Even from across the room, both veterans could feel the pressure they exerted. "Glynda...is something like this allowed here?"

His voice trembled with barely repressed anger and his words were quiet, but still they reached the doorway with ease. The tension rose several notches, even as the blonde professor started to walk forward, Qrow at her side.

"No. No, it is not, _Jaune._ " She placed emphasis on the name, and the blue eyes narrowed.

The two adults faced the young man before them across maybe a metre of space. The blond looked from them to the snivelling mass at his feet, then back again. "Will he be dealt with?"

Glynda nodded. "Yes, he will. Regardless of you stopping him, the intent was there. He won't get off lightly."

Jaune met her gaze for a few moments, the pressure rising again. Then it seemed to die away all at once, Pyrrha watching as her partner's eyes closed. He stumbled, falling forward before the rather ragged Huntsman caught him.

He held the younger man for a moment as he shook his head, blue eyes opening once again. There was no pressure this time - his gaze was tired, and muddled. "Qrow...?" He asked, his voice quiet and rough.

"Yeah. Yeah, it's me kid." There was a scuffing sound as the blond re-positioned his feet, standing once again.

"I am...sorry. I could not..." Jaune shook for a moment, and then vanished. The dark Huntsman vanished as well, maybe half a second later. They left a corridor of empty space, air rushing to fill the gaps they left in their wake.

The deputy headmistress stood, facing the doors with a strange look on her face. Then she turned back to Pyrrha and Velvet, who had been frozen since the doors opened. "Ms Scarlatina, return to your dorm please. Ms Nikos...look after your team. Mr Arc should, with luck, be back by evening."

The Huntress began to walk toward the doors, but stopped when someone tugged lightly on her sleeve. "Professor Goodwitch...what _was_ that?" Green eyes met, one pair inscrutable, the other full of emotion.

The stalemate continued for a moment longer, before the taller woman looked away. "That is something only Jaune can tell you. I have neither the right nor the knowledge." With that, she moved away again.

Pyrrha didn't stop her.

* * *

Jaune ran. He didn't know where he was going, or what he was going to do when he got there. He just knew he had to run. Run fast enough and far enough that he could escape himself.

 _'I broke my promise...'_

Tears leaked from his eyes as trees flashed past, sobs torn away by the wind. Less than three days and he had already broken his promise. He hadn't even been able to go that long...

He started to slow, the blurring brown and green giving way to trunks and leaves. He eventually came to a stop, just falling to his knees in the gnarled roots of one massive plant. He curled up, quiet sobs wracking his body.

He heard Qrow approaching, his dress shoes making purposeful noise as he walked. _'_ _He doesn't want to startle me...'_ The sobs carried on, reinvigorated by the arrival of the older man. _'_ _I promised him...'_

A minute later, Qrow arrived. He stood on the other side of the tree from Jaune, just leaning against it in silence. They stayed there for a time, one boy crying and one man listening.

When the tears finally began to slow, Qrow still didn't move. He didn't so much as twitch until Jaune gave a final hiccup, and stopped.

Then, he finally moved around the trunk. He settled down beside the curled-up blond, shoulder to shoulder. "So, Jaune. What was that back there?"

Blue eyes met dark ones from the shelter of crossed arms. "You know."

The elder Huntsman shook his head. "No, I don't. I've seen Cassiel, remember? I know what it looks like when one of these...people appears, and that wasn't it. But I also know Jaune Arc, and what I saw in the dining hall wasn't him either. So I'm asking you."

The blue eyes returned to the shadows for a minute or two, Qrow simply offering his presence. "It was me, and it was her. Together."

"I see..." Qrow murmured. He leaned back against the tree, hands behind his head. "Well in that case why're you all the way out here?"

The blond's head rose, turning to face his mentor incredulously. There was an unspoken question there, and the veteran didn't turn his head as he continued.

"I only had you promise that Lailah would never be free at the school. You just told me yourself that what I saw in there wasn't Lailah. Hence, promise unbroken." Jaune looked like he wanted to interrupt, but the elder Huntsman kept going. "You didn't even hurt that moron in the dining hall. Put the fear of God in him for sure, but there isn't even a mark on his wrist. You didn't even break any school rules. Hell, I don't think you even _considered_ your Semblance."

The broken expression Jaune had been wearing was fading, reorganising itself into a frown. Qrow was right about him not thinking of his Semblance. "But, I...threatened him. I could have done..."

A waved hand cut off the end of that sentence, Qrow raising a single finger. "I draw attention to my earlier point – there's not a single mark on the kid. You _could_ have done a lot of things - but you didn't. Oh, and don't argue that it's only because your partner intervened - whatever part of you that was in there? It _listened_. It stopped of its own accord. That's what matters to me."

The older man took a breath, looking at Jaune out the corner of his eye. "Besides, why're you saying 'I'? You said that the little incident in the dining hall wasn't entirely you. What was it you told my niece earlier...'it is not completely your fault, so don't blame yourself so much'?"

Jaune grimaced, his own words turned on him. The dark mood that had so taken him was lifting though, and Qrow felt comfortable enough to place a hand on his head. "I get that you aren't happy about what happened. But from where I'm sitting, and where the others are sitting, you did nothing wrong. So stop inventing failings for yourself, and let's get back to your team. They'll be worried sick, and these roots are killing my legs."

A tiny chuckle met his words, but it was still a laugh. The blond stretched out his arms and legs, climbing to his feet and stretching. Qrow did the same, working the stiffness out of his limbs. He was in the middle of stretching his back when he felt something wrap itself around his torso.

He sighed, but put an arm around the blond. "I thought I already told you about crying on my clothes?" His words chastised, but his voice was soft. His other hand rubbed the boy's hair, and the two stood there for a time.

Eventually, Jaune let his mentor go, Qrow dusting himself off once again. "Now c'mon kid, we need to get back. Ozpin'll want to speak with us, and you've got to suck up to your team _and_ RWBY. They're gonna be pissed that you ran."

Realising the scale of the task ahead of him, the younger man gulped. But there was no hesitation in his gait as he ran alongside his friend.

* * *

Glynda was waiting for them at the elevator to Ozpin's office. She looked between the two of them, noting the damp patches on Qrow's shirt and the determined look in Jaune's eyes.

She strode forward, and the young blond tensed. That tension vanished when she dragged him into a hug though, as he hugged back. "I don't care what may happen. You don't run from us again, you understand me?"

Her tone was stern, as the Huntress crouched down to look properly into blue eyes. Their owner nodded, the look of resolve never shifting. "I am...home, now. I should not have run from home." He was pulled into another hug for that, before Glynda shifted into Professor mode.

"Now, come on you two. We've kept Ozpin waiting." The trio crossed the tower floor to the elevator, stepping inside. Jaune stood between Glynda and Qrow as the box rose, determined to explain himself properly to the silver-haired man. He doubted he was going to get off without some kind of punishment. He would accept it as his due, and he would move on from it. There was a small ding, the doors opening.

The trio disembarked, entering the now familiar office. Looking around, Jaune couldn't see the Headmaster anywhere. He turned to Glynda, but she seemed just as confused as he was.

A tapping sound, apart from the normal clicks of the office, made its way to their ears - and a moment later, Ozpin seemed to appear from thin air.

All three visitors stared at him, standing beside his desk with a massive book in his hands. He raised an eyebrow at the looks on their faces. "Oh come now, don't tell me you thought the only thing in my office was a _desk_."

Shaking his head, the Headmaster settled into his seat. Placing the tome on his desk, he began flicking through it. Qrow started forward, the two blondes following along a moment later. By the time they reached the desk, Ozpin had identified the passage he wanted. Holding his finger on it, he cleared his throat and read aloud.

"Beacon Academy Compendium of Regulations, Situations and Exceptions. Chapter seventeen, paragraph seventy-two. Section G, sub-section A. 'In the case of an altercation between students where Semblances or unique abilities are employed, any ability which is involuntarily activated and results in an impairment of judgement is grounds for the afflicted student to be given the benefit of the doubt.'"

The man leaned back in his seat, steepling his fingers as the figures across the desk absorbed what he had said. "I do believe that says it all."

Glynda moved to stand behind the desk as well, reading the passage under her breath. "I...never even realised we still had this. I thought it had gone missing a decade ago."

Ozpin nodded, reaching for his mug and taking a drink. "As did I. As it happens, I was able to locate it with a middling application of effort. I felt that it would be of assistance here."

The deputy headmistress nodded silently, going on to shake her head in wonderment. "Well, it very clearly states that we are allowed to give Jaune the benefit of the doubt. Well, Headmaster? Do you propose that we go by the book?" The man in green took another long sip, the ghost of a smile hidden by the mug.

"You know me, Professor Goodwitch. I've always been a stickler for the rules." A muffled cough, that suspiciously resembled a stifled laugh, came from Qrow. He got a raised eyebrow for his troubles, Ozpin replacing his mug on the desk while he turned his attention to the stupefied blond in front of him.

"Well, as you can see Mr Arc, the rules clearly state that we are allowed to give you the benefit of the doubt. I am going to do so, but I would also like to ask for an explanation pertaining to the circumstances which triggered such a reaction. If we know what causes it, perhaps we can prevent such an incident occurring in the future."

The direct request seemed to shake Jaune out of his shock, and he collected his thoughts. "It is less than our...usual release, but more than...simply me. I cannot...control it, but it is...rare in any case, as it requires us to act...together."

Ozpin nodded sagely, glasses flashing over his steepled fingers. "So, when you, say, have a strong desire - like wishing to protect someone – and your...tenant, shall we say, _shares_ this wish, you can act as one without crossing the line between you." The blond across the desk nodded, thankful that the headmaster understood. "Well, in that case we know that your shift in attitude was brought on by something you have no control over. I for one believe Mr Arc was perfectly within the boundaries of the regulations, and as such is undeserving of any punishment. Professor Goodwitch, Huntsman Branwen, do you concur?"

Glynda nodded. "I am entirely in agreement, Headmaster."

Qrow mirrored the motion. "I saw the whole thing, start to finish. Not one rule was broken. I am in agreement."

That ghost of a smile still playing on his features, the Headmaster spoke clearly. "Then let the records show that Jaune Arc is not held accountable for his actions, and nor is he guilty of any action which goes against the regulations as defined by the joint Vale and Beacon Council of Huntsman Education." His final line out of the way, Ozpin tapped something on his desk. Once he had done so, all three adults let out a long breath. "I do so hate having to do that," the older man muttered, taking a long drink.

Opposite him, Qrow did the same - though his own choice of beverage was not quite as 'benign' as Ozpin's. "Council bastards, sticking their noses everywhere..."

Glynda snorted, pushing her glasses further up her nose. "They act more like status-obsessed housewives than politicians, it sometimes seems."

Sounds of assent from Ozpin and Qrow met her statement, and Jaune looked between all of them. "Was that being...recorded?"

Ozpin nodded, swallowing his mouthful of coffee. "Cardin Winchester, the young man you so rightly prevented from carrying out an act of supreme disrespect, is the son of a high-ranking Valian council member. As such, we need to have evidence of both of you being interviewed and assessed by no less than three trained Huntsmen."

Qrow nudged the young blond, winking. "Nicely done with not dropping _her_ name, by the way. You wouldn't believe how difficult it is doctoring those tapes believably."

Jaune shook his head. "I just...remembered that you didn't want me...mentioning her name."

Glynda moved over and laid a hand on his shoulder, smiling. "No matter what your reasons, you couldn't have done better if we had prepared you beforehand. Now, come with me. Grimm Studies is about half done, so I'll take you there."

The professor moved away to the elevator, her student turning to follow her. Then he stopped for a moment, looking over his shoulder at the headmaster. "Thank you, sir. For...everything."

Having said his piece, he ran to catch up with his fellow blonde. The last thing the two men in the office saw were two eyes, alight with hope and determination.

Qrow and Ozpin stood for a long moment, just thinking about the day's events. "I have to say, I didn't expect quite this to happen." The Headmaster broke the semi-silence first, true silence being impossible in his office.

"I _know what you mean,_ " the dark Huntsman replied emphatically, taking another long drink from his flask. "I thought that the first person to mess with Jaune was going to end up in the infirmary - maybe in the morgue. But the kid didn't leave a scratch on him."

Qrow's old friend nodded, sighing. "Indeed. This new development...truly, Jaune excels at simultaneously bearing good news and bad news." The two men chuckled, Qrow shaking his head wryly.

"Still, we might have avoided a slaughter here but it's still gonna have repercussions. Everyone in the dining hall felt that – and everyone saw him demolish a kid one and a half times his size with nothing more than a _look_." The levity in the room dropped abruptly.

"Yes, yes they did. Jaune's time with us was always going to be complicated, but I'd hoped he would have at least a little more time..."

The two figures stood amid the turning gears and thought of the young man who had become part of their lives so quickly. "Well - we'll just have to put our faith in him."

"Indeed. In him, and his friends."

* * *

Jaune and Glynda stood outside the Grimm Studies classroom. The professor looked to her student, seeing that determined light in his blue eyes. She didn't even bother asking if he was ready. "Don't take this the wrong way Jaune, but I hope it's a little while before we see each other again."

Her fellow blonde turned to her, smiling widely. "I...understand, Professor Goodwitch. I will try to...stay out of trouble." Giving him a nod, the professor pushed the door open and entered.

Professor Port, who was in the middle of addressing the class, halted mid-speech and turned to see who had come in. "Ah, Professor Goodwitch! Have you come to add yourself to my enthralled audience?"

Jaune looked at the students lining the room. About a third of them were focussed on himself and Professor Goodwitch. The rest... weren't quite so conscious. "I'm afraid not, Professor Port." Glynda replied. " I was just returning Mr Arc to your class." She glanced down at her charge. "I believe your team are seated in the second row, young man."

The blond nodded to his teacher, recognising what he called 'professor mode'. He quickly scanned the room, and a waving hand caught his attention. It was Nora, next to Ren and Pyrrha. They were, indeed, in the second row.

He jogged over to them quickly, settling into a seat beside his partner as Professor Port began speaking again. "Well, I do thank you Professor. For a teacher, there can be no greater joy than receiving more young minds to educate!"

A vein twitched in Glynda's eyebrow, but apart from that her expression never changed. "Of course, Professor Port. Carry on." The deputy headmaster left the class, and the boisterous older man turned to face his students.

"Now then, where was I...oh yes. The moral of the story! A true Huntsman must be _honourable_! A true Huntsman must be _dependable_! A true Huntsman must be _strategic_ , _well-educated_ and _wise_! So, who among you believes themselves to be the embodiment of these traits?"

"I do sir!"

Jaune's examination of his partner, which had been taking place out the corner of his eye, was interrupted by the abruptness of Weiss Schnee's answer.

"Well, then, let's find out!" Walking over to the wall, the Professor retrieved the blunderbuss/axe combo that rested there. He then moved over to a dark cage near his desk."Step forward, and face your opponent!"

The cage rattled, a low grunting coming from it as red eyes glowed within. _'_ _Boarbatusk.'_ Jaune recognised it instantly, just as he did any species of Grimm he had encountered before. As Weiss moved off, presumably to get changed, the blond took the time to continue looking at his partner.

She was doing much the same as him, looking out the corner of her eye as she tried to examine him without making it obvious. She might have succeeded, too – if Jaune couldn't feel her attention. It was an odd quirk – but once he realized killing intent was the manifestation and projection of the 'intent to kill', he figured that anything with intentions toward anything else must cause a similar effect.

It had been an incredible hunting tool; the 'intent to flee' most prey animals experienced around him made locating them much easier.

Now, he could feel a different kind of intent coming from his partner. Intent to...what? Examine? Attend? Aid? He wasn't sure, but he was fairly sure that it was something positive.

She apparently noticed that he'd noticed, so she shuffled sideways a bit on the bench to put herself closer to him. Their shoulders brushed slightly, and she seemed to find solace in the contact, even as Jaune himself found some too. _'_ _She isn't scared of me.'_

That was an incredible relief. He considered trying to speak to her...but Weiss was walking into the ring, and he wanted his focus on that. So, he shot a quick smile to Pyrrha, and tried to convey with his eyes alone that they would speak later. He wasn't sure if he succeeded, but she turned her attention back to the heiress, so he figured it was at least a partial success.

Refocussing his attention, he could see that Weiss was standing ready with her weapon, the Professor lifting his own weapon above his head. He could hear RBY cheering her on, and he smiled a little. That smile became a frown when the heiress chastised them for the attempt to support her.

A downward swing from the Professor broke the lock off the cage, freeing the exact Grimm Jaune had known was coming. He followed the ensuing fight with what amounted to a professional eye...and almost winced.

Weiss' technique was fine, or at least he thought it was. He didn't know much about swords, after all. But the way Ruby kept calling out to her, while a good show of how much the reaper cared for her partner, was a distraction. At the same time, Weiss reacted to it instead of just tuning out the background noise. _'That wasn't a good fight – and I don't think it will be good for their partnership either.'_

As Weiss drove her weapon into the creature's underbelly, Port congratulated her. He then dismissed the class, students filing out in search of something to eat.

Jaune watched the heiress storm away, with Ruby chasing after her moments later. He felt a hand touch lightly on his shoulder, and turned to see that it had been Pyrrha. She raised an eyebrow, and he tried to read the question from just the expression. "Can we talk in the dormitory?" Apparently he'd made the correct assumption, because his partner just smiled and nodded before leading the way from the room.

The blond held back a bit to level out with Ren and Nora. He opened his mouth...but shut it again when the hammer wielder wrapped him in a hug, understanding everything he needed to know from the contact.

"It's good to have you back, Jauney." She told him, smiling up at him from below. He smiled right back, returning her hug quickly before she went bouncing off after his partner.

He managed a smile at his team mate's irrepressible good nature, turning around to speak with his final teammate. He met Ren's eyes, and found that there was expression there...though he couldn't interpret what it was. "I think I understand why your story last night was so short now." The brunet told him, the empty classroom lessening any worry Jaune might have felt about eavesdroppers. "Let me make something clear..."

The martial artist leaned forward, and Jaune thought for sure that this was going to be Yang - or, Heaven forbid, _Qrow_ \- all over again. Instead, his male team mate flicked him on the forehead. It didn't really hurt - but the unexpectedness of it was enough to make him blink, as Ren continued. "You did a good thing today, Jaune - if you thought we were going to think the worse of you, then obviously we haven't made our point clear enough yet."

He placed a hand on the blond's shoulder. "Listen – if you don't want to talk about whatever that was? Just don't. If you _want_ to talk about it, we'll listen – but you already told us more than you had to. So think about yourself a little more."

With those words, the black-haired youth patted his leader on the shoulder and moved forward.

The blond remained where he was for a few moments longer, relief and happiness bubbling up in equal measure. Then he turned to follow his team, a smile growing on his face.

* * *

When the team walked into the dining hall, all the conversation seemed to stop at once. Almost every eye in the room immediately focussed on the blond leader, who carefully didn't look at any of them. Instead, he collected a tray and started putting a meal together.

When he reached the end of the serving area, he turned around to look for a seat. "Jaune, over here!"

The young man looked to a waving hand, and found that Yang was standing to make it more visible. He began to move over, walking past silent faces and expressions ranging from curiosity to terror.

The brawler greeted him with a smile, indicating an empty spot next to her. JNPR's leader settled into it, Pyrrha beside him, Ren and Nora sitting opposite him. Alongside Yang, RWB were eating their own dinner. Ruby gave him a small wave, Weiss and Blake repeating the polite nods he'd received earlier that day.

He was about to start eating when a shadow fell across him. Looking up, he found...a familiar face. "Jaune. Do you mind if we sit with you?"

Yatsuhashi's powerful voice resonated throughout the room, ensuring that everyone heard him. Beside him, Velvet was shifting quietly from foot to foot, uncomfortable with the attention they were drawing. Coco, on the other hand, was meeting every pair of eyes in order and glaring back.

Next to them was a fourth person, a boy with red hair and skin the colour of toffee. He nodded to Jaune. "Name's Fox. I'm CFVY's fourth member. Good to meet you at last."

He extended a hand, his other still holding the tray, and the blond stood to shook it. "My name is Jaune. It is very nice to meet you. Please have a seat." He gestured to the empty spaces around them, and CFVY settled in.

The very public and very pointed displays of unity from RWBY and CFVY seemed to break the spell that had been brought on with Jaune's entrance, as people all around the hall turned back to their meals.

Coco had claimed a seat further up the table, but now stood to walk and stand by Jaune's left-hand side, between him and Yang. Her sunglasses were tucked away now, brown eyes focussed on him intently. "So, you've given me a problem kid."

The blond immediately gave her his full attention. _'_ _I appear to have been causing a lot of problems lately.'_

The team leader continued, "You see, I technically owe you some payback for making me work all night on the second part of your weapon – which, by the way, I hear you haven't even used yet. Falling asleep on my best friend's partner isn't conducive to a healthy working environment, I'll have you know."

Across from her leader, Velvet tried to sink into her seat.

"But, you ended what I do not doubt would have been a long period of abuse before it even got going. You even managed it without leaving a mark on the guy. So I need to thank you, somehow." Brown eyes met blue. "You see my problem here?"

Jaune nodded, understanding completely. But, he also saw an easy way to solve it. "If you owe me both a...reward and a...punishment, why not simply owe me nothing?" He asked.

Coco snorted. "Not that easy. It's two different tallies, one punishment doesn't cancel out one reward. But, I have an idea – if you're interested." The blond nodded.

"I can't offer neither – but I think I can offer you something that's both." Coco nodded to Yatsuhashi, who was eating...something Jaune didn't recognise. It had rice in it, though. "I'm thinking maybe Yatsu could work with you in his spare time. Give you some training, some advice, help you get ahead in your coursework. It won't be easy – but you'll benefit from it."

The brunette turned to Jaune, one eyebrow raised. "So, sound good to you?" The blond considered it for a few moments...then gave his fellow team leader a hug.

"That sounds...brilliant." He told her, letting go after a few seconds. The second year's face had gone completely blank, and she wasn't moving at all.

He was starting to get worried when he heard a chuckle. Turning, Jaune found that the fourth team member, Fox, was trying desperately to smother his laughter.

He seemed to get it under control, speaking between deep breaths. "The last time...someone gave Coco a hug...was Velvet in first year. She..." The red-haired young man covered his mouth again, still speaking through his laughter. "She put her through a wall...and told us she'd do the same to anyone else who tried it!"

The now-familiar sinking feeling was forming in Jaune's gut, and he turned slowly to look at his fellow team leader. Her expression was still utterly inscrutable. "...Coco?" He asked slowly.

A glance behind her showed that RWBY had seen fit to move several seats away. Seeing him glance over, Yang gave him two thumbs-up, mouthing _you got this!_

 _'Whatever happened to the bond between blondes?'_ Jaune asked himself, refocussing his attention on the older girl in front of him. She was finally moving again, her expression re-arranging. He didn't like the smile on her face.

"Okay kid, you've got balls. Between Initiation and today, you've proven that. Tell you what, how about you and me have a nice, friendly sparring match, eh?" The blond got the distinct impression that nice and friendly were the incorrect adjectives for use in this situation.

He also believed that he had absolutely no choice in the matter.

"I would love to, Coco." He replied, hoping his voice didn't sound as shaky as he thought it did.

"Excellent. After school, tomorrow. Training room six. Your Scroll has directions." The fashionista had finished her meal at some point, and now stood up with her empty tray. As she started to head towards the disposal area, she stopped and turned.

"Dead meat or not, Arc, you did good by my team mate. I'll never forget that." Her parting words delivered, the brunette moved away.

Jaune turned back to his meal, not sure whether he should smile or panic. Fox leaned across the table and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'll put something touching on your gravestone."

Probably panic.

Next to leave were Velvet and Yatsuhashi, who were both done around the same time a few minutes later. Much as their leader had done, both stopped to talk with him before moving off. "Jaune, you defended my partner. That means a lot to me, and I intend to prove it. We can sit down at some point and decide on times." With that and a nod, the giant moved away.

Taking his place, the shy Faunus stood awkwardly for a moment. "Thank you, Jaune, for what you did for me. Most people either don't know or don't understand trait etiquette..." She trailed off a bit, so Jaune turned in his seat.

"Velvet, I was...happy to help." He gave her a grateful smile, and she returned it. Saved from having to explain further, she followed her partner. Before Jaune could turn back around, a hand settled on his shoulder - apparently, Fox had finished too.

"This might be my first time meeting you, but I'd like to say thanks as well. Velvet's the heart of our team – helping her makes you an honorary member of CFVY. Just remember to call on us if you ever need it." With that, he moved off too.

Jaune was left with NPR and RWBY. He let out a long sigh as something else was added to the list of 'events with negative repercussions involving, started by, or happening to, Jaune Arc' list, before hunkering down and finishing his meal. As he rose, all his other dinner companions did as well. _'_ _Were they waiting for me...?'_

They moved en-mass to the disposal area, leaving their trays, crockery and cutlery there. They all remained together as they headed to the dorms, Yang choosing to walk with her fellow blonde. The two of them were silent amid the chatter of their companions, for a little while at least.

"Y'know, Jaune, you're sending out a lot of signals." The team leader frowned, turning to look at his friend. "Well, look at how you treat the women around you. You trade hugs with them casually, just as casually as you carry them around the place. You get around – I mean hell, you have twice as many female friends as male. But at the same time you seem completely unaware of it – as if it's a perfectly natural thing. It's...odd."

He had to admit she had a point. He grimaced slightly as he replied. "I can't...help it, Yang. This is...just how I have always...treated women." His fellow blonde raised an eyebrow.

"If you've always treated women this way, how come people told you you were bad with them?" Jaune scratched the side of his face as he replied.

"It's because I...treat all women like...sisters."

A lot of things clicked with that sentence. Yang lost a step, almost stumbling before she caught herself. She debated intensely with herself for a moment, before deciding to push forward. "How many?" She asked quietly.

"Seven." Jaune replied, his tone just as subdued. He smiled, just a little, as he always did when remembering his family. They had been as close as any family could be, as far as he knew. One of only two males in a family of nine, he had been a curiosity for his sisters growing up. That meant, of course, that they spoiled him rotten.

His fellow blonde took deeper breaths than normal as they walked, holding herself steady. _'_ _C'mon, Xiao-Long. You already had your breakdown - no more.'_ She reached out a hand, gently resting it in Jaune's hair. He let her, the action bringing back even more memories.

The other walkers weren't sure why Yang looked so sombre. Indeed, at the contact she made with the blond leader several of them exchanged glances with one another...but none of them said anything. The look on Jaune's face, somewhere between happiness and sorrow, halted any questions before they could be spoken.

Soon enough, the group arrived at the corridor signalling the end of their journey. Jaune unlocked the portal to the JNPR dorm, pushing it open slightly before stopping. He turned to face the four girls outside their own door, focussing in particular on the older sister. "Thank you very much for...today. We will see you in the...morning."

He received four nods in return, lilac eyes holding his own for a moment before turning away. He almost didn't see the silver orbs that remained locked on him, even as the door swung closed. They stayed with him though, the confused look reminding him that not all his friends knew the truth yet. _'_ _Perhaps they shouldn't...'_

Those were thoughts for another time though. At the moment, his attention was reserved for his bed – and the preparations for getting in it. Ren and Nora moved away, saying they were going to take showers as they headed for the two bathrooms with their nightclothes. Pyrrha settled down on her bed, retrieving a set of pyjamas from her bag that she hadn't had a chance to don the night before, and then turning her gaze to her leader and patting a space next to her.

Walking over quietly, Jaune settled on the bed next to her. He had been considering what he should say, had been considering the ramifications of talking about some things, and trying to think of ways to ensure that he didn't cause her any more hurt.

"Before you start, Jaune..." She began, pre-empting him. "I just want to say this." She took one of his hands in her own, idly running her thumb across the back of the appendage - feeling the tiny ridges and dips of the scars which so marred it. "Ren and Nora probably said it already, but none of us think of you any differently. What happened today was a bit weird, yes – but you're still Jaune. You're still our leader, our teammate, our friend..." She squeezed his hand a bit. "And you're still my partner."

She favoured him with a smile. "So don't worry about what we'll think of you; you put a lot of trust in us last night, and we're going to return it as much as we can. Which is why you can tell me as much, or as little about today as you want – if you'd prefer, I can just drop it entirely." Pyrrha leaned forward a bit to emphasize her point. "We trust you, Jaune – _I_ trust you. So please, don't worry about what you say for our sakes; we want you to be happy just as much as you want the same for us."

She leaned back again, still holding his hand, now somewhat flushed as she realised that, although he tended to be spontaneously intimate, the way he acted somehow lacked any romantic overtones. When _she_ was doing it, though...

Okay, maybe she should just avoid that line of thought entirely.

Jaune looked back at his partner for a long moment, before coming to a conclusion. "I...prefer not to speak about that very much." He admitted. "But I will tell you this. What you saw...today was not...quite me, but not quite...anything else." His features scrunched up, as he found himself irritated at his own inability to properly convey what he was trying to say.

The red-haired warrior beside him sifted through the statement, matching it with her own life experiences and not-inconsiderable intellect.

"So...it was like a split personality?" She recognised the momentary blank look and tilt of the head that signified her partner was trying to retrieve some thought or memory, and then a moment later he was back to full cognizance and he nodded slowly.

"It is...something like that." Apparently there was more to the story...but she could see how the blond was fidgeting now, and she had just heard the shower Ren had entered turning off.

"Then I understand all I need to know. Ren'll be out soon – that'll make it your turn." Looking grateful at the opportunity to bow out of the conversation, Pyrrha's leader rose to his feet after squeezing her hand once.

"Thank you, Pyrrha." He smiled at her, sincere and almost glowing in the intensity of its positivity.

She returned it as best she could. "You're welcome Jaune."

* * *

In the corridor outside their rooms once again, Qrow smiled to himself. The kid was smooth – almost as smooth as Taiyang had been. Most of the 'issues' Jaune had been worried about were only in his head, but he'd quite successfully extinguished the few small fires which _had_ been building. At this rate, if Qrow was any judge at all, he expected the blond would have a whole host of relationship problems on the horizon. _'_ _There's such a thing as_ too _smooth, kid.'_

Yang was back in business. A little shaky, but she'd found a focus now. Heaven help the young man she had decided to fix her attentions on – hell had no fury like a familial Xiao Long. She would be fine now, with something to do.

Strolling away to his usual observation post, the veteran remembered that warm smile again. _'_ _Summer, you're watching over us. Aren't you? You and that massive heart of yours.'_

* * *

Ozpin sat at his desk, staring out over Vale as he so often did. He considered all that had happened, and all that might still happen.

 _'That young man is shouldering a lot of hopes. He generates faith like a preacher, orbiting others even as they orbit him.'_

A chuckle rang out among the progress of time, followed by the sound of flowing liquid.

 _'I hope the world is ready for him.'_

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **GRAAARRGH! FEAR ME, PUNY MORTALS, FOR I AM BECOME MEL, WRITER OF 10K CHAPTERS!**

 **Yes, ladies and gentlemen – I have managed to write _another_ 10K chapter. I certainly didn't expect it to come out this long...but it did. The reviews I've been getting seem to suggest that long chapters = happy readers, so while I don't know if this'll happen again any time soon, I hope you enjoy!**

 **In other news, we have also passed 10K views! IN A WEEK! We've also passed 200 favourites, and are fast approaching 300 follows. _Holy ***ing ****!_**

 **A massive shout out to all the people who have been reviewing. At the time of writing, the story rests at 76 reviews...and I've enjoyed reading each and every one of them. Thank you, for making it so much fun to write these! To csad21 in particular, who has been a great conversationalist :)**

 **A shout out as well to the Crystal Shards community, which the story has been added to. I've never had a story added to a community before, so...milestone!**

 **Now, I just wanted to address a fairly common question: pairings. I've had PMs and reviews inquiring about it, so here's my answer for those who are interested:**

 **The Jaune in this story is in a position where I could ship him with basically anyone – after all, his past is both mysterious _and_ tragic, he's a knightly character, and he's 'delightfully oblivious'. But, at the same time, I have the option of not pairing him with anyone. My options are unlimited...and you know what?**

 **Segway. Someone write me an Unlimited Blade Works chant for pairings. Make it happen, and by God I will find some way to use it!**

 **Eh hem. Anyway. I haven't come to a decision on pairings...I think I'll start a poll for whether or not there will be pairings, and if I do then another might follow for you to vote on which pairing is written. Bear in mind, I am _not_ a romance writer. I don't know the first thing about it, so whatever I create will undoubtedly be overshadowed by the rest of the story.**

 **Okay, I think that covers just about everything. You guys rock!**

 **I hope you enjoyed reading this even partially as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you have any comments or criticism, please leave a review and I'll be sure to get back to you. Enjoy your day!**

 **EDIT 18.09.2016: Rewrote most of the character interactions, especially Pyrrha's reaction. Hopefully this fits better. Also revised some grammar and spelling.**


	7. VII - Impact

30/12/2016 - Several alterations and revisions to comply with the previous edits.

* * *

At almost exactly seven in the morning, having washed and dressed already, Jaune started gently shaking his team into wakefulness.

Nora went from being a veritable zombie to being...well, Nora Valkyrie, in about two seconds once he got her up. "Morning Jauney! No breakfast delivered today, I guess we're eating in the dining hall then. I'm going to have a shower~!"

Leaving his team mate to skip away to the bathroom, Jaune had gone on to wake his partner next. Her rise was less abrupt, but she was still fully conscious in just a few seconds. "Morning, Jaune." Nodding to return the greeting, the blond moved on to his final team mate as she too retreated to one of the bathrooms to clean herself up.

Shaking Ren had no effect. Nor did poking him. In fact, when Jaune tried calling to him to wake up he didn't even stir. "Is this...normal?" He wondered aloud, staring down at the comatose martial artist.

Nora returned, showered and changed, just in time to offer her input. "Oh yeah, Renny really likes to sleep. I've got it~!" Skipping over to her oldest friend, the shorter girl took a deep breath.

" _It's morning, it's morning, it's morning~!_ " The sudden musical rendition got a response a few seconds later, low groans coming from the black-haired youth as he began to rise toward wakefulness.

"He'll start talking in a couple of minutes." Nora told her leader, settling down on her bed to wait. Deciding to heed her expert opinion, the blond sat down on his own bed to await his turn in the shower.

By the time Pyrrha returned, Ren was conscious. Nora was running through various activities she thought would be good for the team, while her friend shot down each and every one of them with perfect logic.

They were still going when Jaune exited the bathroom in his uniform, though the conversation was broken off when the martial artist walked away for his own turn. Apparently Nora wasn't finished though, as she turned her gaze on to her leader. "Oh, Jauney, we need to plan your lessons!"

It took the blond a moment to remember what she was talking about, but excitement began to well up as soon as he realised. "Oh, the Grimm...riding!" The idea of using the creatures as transportation was ingenious, and the fact that he hadn't once considered it had shocked him.

"Yes, Grimm riding! Lots of fun, and you even get to kill something when you're finished!" It sounded right up the leader's alley, and he began to nod eagerly.

"When do we...start?" he asked, prompting Nora to reach for her Scroll.

"Oh, we can do it at the weekend! The Emerald Forest has plenty of Grimm, so we'll have a lot to choose from." That seemed like a good plan to Jaune..however, he couldn't help but spot a minor problem with it.

"But Nora, what...about Ren and Pyrrha? They need something to do."

The hammer wielder hummed to herself, nodding sagely. "Yeah, we can't let them be bored..." The two warriors sat in quiet contemplation for a long moment, possibilities flitting across their minds.

Then, Nora snapped her fingers. "I've got it!"

As if on cue, Ren came back to the room. "No, Nora, we can't cook pancakes in the Emerald Forest. You know I don't work well under pressure." He got a frown for his troubles, but the expression just bounced off him.

"No fair..." She huffed, shaking her head a moment later as if to reset.

"Well, we are all here now. Let us go to breakfast." Jaune opened the door to their dorm, his team filing out behind him. They set off down the corridor, thoughts turning to the meal ahead of them.

* * *

The dining hall yielded pancakes, fruit, yoghurt and, of course, the all-important coffee. The last vestiges of sleep were utterly decimated by the invading ambrosia. The blond wondered if he would be allowed to carry a thermos around, like Ozpin seemed to do. It was certainly looking like more and more of a good idea...

"Mornin'." The greeting was Yang, who collapsed into the empty space on Jaune's left side. Pyrrha was seated to his right, and looked up as the blonde's voice reached her. The two exchanged nods, before the red-head returned to her breakfast.

"Good morning, Yang." Jaune replied, happy to see that she was her usual self. "Good morning to you too, Ruby. Blake, Weiss." The rest of RWBY had been hot on their brawler's heels, settling into the same two-by-two configuration that had so quickly become their standard.

The expected nods from Weiss and Blake, before they returned their attention to their meals. Ruby however didn't go to her seat, instead peering at the blond leader from several steps away. "How're you feeling?"

Jaune favoured her with a smile. "I am well, Ruby. Thank you for asking." Silver eyes held his own for a long moment, but couldn't find anything to disprove the statement.

"Well, that's good. We leaders need to take care of ourselves, after all. For our teams' sakes as well as our own." The younger girl seemed to be communicating a point, but the blond wasn't entirely sure he got it. He nodded anyway.

"I guess we do. Thank you, Ruby." Their eyes held for a moment longer, until the brunette abruptly broke away.

She took her seat on Yang's other side, hidden from Jaune's view by the mass of blonde follicles. _'_ _That was strange. Did I miss some kind of message?'_ He had absolutely no idea, but there were still forty five minutes before class. Maybe he could figure it out...

The pancakes piled in front of him held out admirably, but fell before a dedicated assault. He thought he might never be able to eat enough of those things...but for now, he had to think. Crossing his arms and leaning his head forward, Jaune closed his eyes.

 _'Okay, I can do this. Ruby was trying to tell me something...she asked how I was feeling first. So, she's worried about me? That makes sense, after what happened yesterday. But she didn't say anything then...'_ That made less sense. If she wanted to ask how he was, why not ask at dinner?

 _'She talked about the teams as well...maybe she wanted to chastise me for not being a very good leader?'_ That didn't seem like Ruby though... The blond groaned, leaning forward and resting his head on the table.

Yang looked over, raising an eyebrow at the blond leader. "Wassup Jaune? Didn't sleep very well?"

Jaune turned his head, blue eyes seeking lilac. "Your sister is...confusing me." Yang blinked a few times, glancing over her shoulder to where Ruby was finishing a glass of milk. When she brought the container back down to the table, a white moustache remained on her face.

"I..see. So, how'd my adorable little sister confuse Captain Badass?"

'Captain Badass' blew out a long sigh, raising his head again. "I think she tried to tell me...something. But I do not understand what."

The elder sister nodded to herself, eyes closed and arms folded in much the same position as Jaune assumed when thinking. "Yeah, she did. Of course, I wonder if I should help...after all, you _have_ made your intentions towards my pure, naive little sister quite clear. What kind of older sister would I be if I didn't scare away all the suitors?" The brawler turned a massive grin on her fellow blonde, who sighed and made a mental note to look up 'suitors' later.

"Please, Yang? I need to learn these...things again."

Yang seemed to think seriously for a moment, heading lolling first to one side and then another as she hummed. "Although the look on Ruby's face if you just asked her would be pure gold...I suppose you earned a few pointers when you saved her life the other day." A grin spread across Jaune's face, even as the older sister regarded him steadily out the corner of her eye. She only held out a moment before a matching grin appeared on her own features though.

"Okay then, what you're wanting to do is read between the lines." The look in those blue eyes told Yang that her audience was already lost. "That's when you have to find the meaning that's implied instead of spoken."

Her fellow blonde seemed to think for a moment, before he nodded. "I see. So the message is...hidden in the words."

The brawler took a long pull from her coffee mug. "Pretty much."

This realisation didn't seem to thrill Jaune, whose head returned to the table with a groan. "This is just as bad as...figures of speech."

Yang patted him on the shoulder, offering solidarity. "Yeah, I get ya. I don't like this stuff very much either, but you need it too much to just ignore it. After all, lady killer, this kind of thing's the language of love."

Her fellow blonde looked at her mournfully. "Why are you still calling me that?"

"Why wouldn't I call you that, lady killer? I mean, no matter how _you_ look at them, you still have the same effect. If the shoe fits..." Yang remembered who she was talking to a second or two later, as the semi-constant confused look reformed on Jaune's face.

"Another figure of speech, Jaune. You fit the profile, so you should just accept it." Another low groan emanated from the slumped leader, followed a moment later by the sound of him headbutting the table.

There was a splintering sound, and a curse from further up the table. "Jaune, please! Some of us are trying to eat!" The yell had come from Weiss, who had just narrowly avoided pouring tea all over herself at the unexpected thump.

"Oh, I am sorry, Weiss. I did not mean to hit it so hard."

Jaune's forehead was unblemished, despite the indentation in the hard wooden surface of the table. Yang shook her head as she turned back to her as-yet unfinished breakfast. _'_ _I don't think Coco knows what she's getting into...'_

* * *

"...and that, class, is why a Grimm's own limbs are perfectly acceptable weapons in a dire situation."

Grimm Studies, which was the day's first class, had been incredibly interesting. For Jaune, at least. _'_ _It never even occurred to me that a Deathstalker could be beaten to death with its own tail...'_ To think, he had missed the first lesson...and he got a whole year of these stories! _'_ _I am_ so _glad Qrow enrolled me here.'_

Neither Pyrrha nor Ren seemed to share his enthusiasm for the boisterous professor's classes. His partner had remained attentive for the duration...but he was sure he could see a vein twitching on her forehead. At least Ren wasn't taking it badly – though that was probably because he wasn't taking it at all.

The martial artist had fallen asleep barely fifteen minutes into the lesson, and hadn't woken up since.

The ringing of the bell wasn't enough to rouse him, either. While Jaune and Pyrrha got to their feet, Nora had to grab her partner by the shoulders and pull him upright. "Come on, Ren! We need to go and have lunch! Oh, and we need to start planning this weekend's trip! Do you think it'd be a good idea to camp in the forest? Grimm are more active at night, so wouldn't that give us a wider selection?"

As the black haired youth put one foot in front of another in a loose approximation of walking, Nora quite happily kept speaking. The two walked ahead of the blond and red-head, smatters of their conversation drifting back over their shoulders.

"So, we're actually going to the Emerald Forest so Nora can teach you to ride Grimm?" Asked Pyrrha, whose tone expressed both laughter and resignation in equal measure.

"That is the plan. If you have a...better idea, I would like to hear it?" It was a genuine request, and one that the warrior took seriously. Some concentrated thought didn't help her formulate a better use of their time though...

"I suppose it's just an...unorthodox method of training. Spending some more time together will certainly be good for the team – we haven't trained as a unit yet, after all." Jaune nodded in acknowledgment. So far, JNPR had only jointly participated in one combat scenario...and their job had been catching him after he killed the opponent. Not much good for anyone, as far as training went.

Thoughts of training also reminded him of the deal he'd made with Coco. "I should also speak with Yatsuhashi today. We need to...schedule his lessons as well." Green eyes clouded with confusion for a moment, before she recalled the interactions with CFVY from the night before.

"That's actually been bothering me a little. Jaune, you dismembered a Deathstalker on your own, with a simple blade and no backup. You even did it in less time than it took for me to cross the distance between our positions. Then, you caught two high-velocity, high-mass projectiles without a single injury to anyone involved. After _that_ , you remained unharmed through a Nevermore's assault, before jumping onto it and killing it with a single blow." Having finally completed her listing of the actions which had earned her leader the unofficial title of 'Captain Badass', she looked at said leader oddly. "Just how much can you be taught at this point?"

Jaune had slowed as she was speaking, and now he looked around quickly. They were alone in the corridor... A frown spread across the leader's face as he weighed options, before deciding on a course of action. Pyrrha watched the internal decision making, and didn't say anything as Jaune collected his thoughts. "Pyrrha, you already know that I was lost for a long time." The red-head nodded, fist instinctively clenching for a moment at just the mention of it. "Well, I did not use a weapon during my time in the out-lands. I had not held a sword in...seven years before...three days ago."

He fidgeted a bit, as if worried she was going to start prying – but she didn't. She simply nodded, and let her thought processes continue.

"I see. So you need to learn swordsmanship..." A nod from the blond, and everything clicked into place in the red-head's mind. "Right then. Jaune, I'll come with you for your training – as your partner, it would be remiss of me to not aid you in your growth."

 _'I can spend more time with him this way...with any luck, I can help him re-adjust.'_ Ulterior motives properly established, Pyrrha waited for her leader's reply. It was swift in coming, a massive smile and one of the unavoidable hugs.

"Thank you, Pyrrha. I am grateful for any help you offer."

Deciding that being found like this would probably be rather awkward, and since having her leader in such close proximity to her wasn't good for her composure, the red-head patted the blond on the back. "I'm happy to help, Jaune. Now, come on. Ren and Nora will be waiting for us." Releasing his reddening partner, Jaune led the way toward the dining hall.

The other half of JNPR were indeed awaiting their comrades as Jaune and Pyrrha arrived in the dining hall. They had kept two seats open across the table from their own positions, which were of course beside RWBY.

The partners settled in, lunches set before them on the table. "What kept you guys? We need to make plans for this weekend, and we can't do that with only half the team! I mean, Ren and I can do almost anything, what with him being so smart and be being so good at smashing things...but still, this is a mission that we can't handle alone!"

Nora didn't seem genuinely put out, but Jaune had always been fond of the apologise-now-find-out-why-later approach. "I apologise, Nora. Pyrrha and I were just...discussing training." The martial artist across the table raised an eyebrow at that, but his partner simply waved it off.

"Well, you're here now. So, should we go at night or in the day? Oh, and should we invite the others? This could be a really fun time with more company!" Jaune was able to answer the first question automatically while he considered the second.

"We will go...during the day. There may be more Grimm at night, but learning to ride monsters will...require clear vision." Well, his vision at night was better than most...but his teammates didn't have that luxury.

Turning to his partner and Ren, Jaune decided to bring them in on the decision making. "I think that...inviting RWBY would be a good idea. How about you?"

JNPR's more sensible half considered the question for a moment, Pyrrha answering before Ren. "I'd agree. Since this is basically a training exercise, we'll have a wider variety of influences to work with. At the same time, we'll have greater numbers in the case of a Grimm attack." The redhead glanced at her leader. _'Though a_ _dmittedly, that second point might be moot with Jaune about...'_

Ren spoke up once the redhead had concluded. "I'm inclined to say the same thing. There's undoubtedly a lot we can learn from those four, and vice versa. We're all Huntsmen and Huntresses, after all." Going unsaid was the martial artist's constant ulterior motive – information gathering. The more he learned about the capabilities among their fellow students, the better positioned he would be to employ that knowledge ahead of time when it came to competition.

"Then we are in...agreement. I will ask them after tonight's duel."

The four girls who had become the subject of their discussion were currently buried deep in conversation – and Jaune got the distinct impression that he would be skipping dinner that night.

Before Jaune could get a chance to reply, he was beaten to it. "Good to know you remembered the ass-kicking you booked yesterday. Hey, Jaune." Coco had apparently wandered over on her way out of the hall, her sunglasses currently off.

"Hello, Coco." While the blond was genuinely happy to see the fellow team leader, he was expected to fight her in a few hours. Still, it had been his own fault. He might only have a few things he could do well, but taking responsibility was a skill he had perfected long ago.

Besides, the second year wouldn't kill him.

Probably.

Now that she was, apparently, more focussed on the situation, Pyrrha's green eyes widened somewhat in recognition. "Wait, Coco? As in Coco Adel, perchance?" Blue eyes regarded Pyrrha with interest. Jaune hadn't realised that his partner already knew Coco.

"Yeah, that's me. You're Pyrrha Nikos, of course. Jaune's partner, right?" The brunette's reply was met with a simple nod as the Pyrrha spoke again.

"Yes, I am. I was just wondering – I was a bit out of it yesterday, and I wasn't paying particular attention at dinner. So can I ask why you're duelling him?"

The smile that spread across Coco's face was just as terrifying as it had been the day before, and the blond leader resisted the sudden urge to hide beneath the table. "Your leader is a touch too disrespectful of personal space. I figure he'll learn his lesson if he gets a taste of his own medicine."

The green gaze shifted from brown eyes to blue, hardening with exasperation as it went. "Jaune, don't tell me you've been hugging _everyone_ who does something nice for you?"

Her leader shifted somewhat in his seat. "I haven't...hugged Ozpin yet?" He replied hopefully.

That didn't seem to make the situation any better, as Pyrrha sighed and turned her eyes back to Coco. "I do apologise for my partner. I don't suppose there's anything else we can do to make up for it?"

The fashionista shook her head happily, smile remaining in place. "Nope. I have a reputation of my own to maintain, champ. I owe your leader a trip through the training room wall." Looking back and forth between her leader and the oddly happy second year, Pyrrha almost felt like she had an epiphany.

 _'This is just going to be my life, isn't it?'_

The red-head found that she was being offered a hand, and she shook it. "Maybe we'll have a match of our own one day, champ. Till then, I hope I'll see you tonight. Someone'll need to scrape your partner off the ceiling. Maybe the floor too." On that cheery note, the brunette donned her signature shades and strolled away.

Turning back to her leader, Pyrrha found him staring after his fellow leader. Far from what she might have expected, the expression on his face was a massive, maniacal grin - and as she turned further around, she realised that Ren was also watching the blond...but his expression was more like resignation.

Turning to face the redhead, the martial artist's eyes filled her with a strange sense of foreboding. "I'd offer you luck...but experience tells me that you'll need a lot more than that."

Pyrrha sighed internally, even as she returned to her meal. _'_ _Well, he doesn't talk as much as Nora. That's something, isn't it?'_ But he did seem to share her penchant for believing that the fun to be found in a situation was directly proportional to the risk of grievous bodily harm. _'...come to think of it,_ _I think I'd rather he talked a lot.'_

While Pyrrha was distracted, her leader had apparently been thinking. There was a smile on his face now that accompanied the formation of what he considered a good idea. "Yang, you wanted a sparring match, did you not?"

The brawler turned in her seat, the prospect of combat enough to drag her from the conversation she'd been having with Ruby. "I did, yeah. I owe you a decent right hook at least." Her fellow blonde nodded to himself, as if being repaid with violence was a perfectly normal thing.

"I cannot fight you today. I have another idea, though. Would you be interested in coming to a duel tonight?"

The lilac-eyed older sister considered it, looking to her team mates. The other three members of RWBY were now paying attention, and there was interest gleaming in each of their eyes. "That wouldn't be the duel Coco challenged you to last night, would it?" Jaune nodded happily, and the gleam currently on display in RWBY's collective eyes upgraded itself to a glint.

"Oh, I think I speak for everyone when I saw we'd love to watch you get your ass kicked." Three pairs of eyes suddenly trained themselves on the blonde speaker, a mix of mild disdain and embarrassment visible there.

"You think _wrong_ , Xiao Long! We might be interested in enjoying the spectacle of two highly skilled warriors testing each other's mettle, but only an uncouth individual such as yourself would enjoy watching a friend suffer injury." Weiss' tone was rather icy, the heiress' views seemingly deviating from the brawler's.

Jaune couldn't help but think that the white-haired girl had just added a lot more words to what Yang had said...but his fellow blonde replied with a massive grin just moments later, interrupting his thoughts. "Sorry, Weiss-icle. I suppose I shouldn't have said mean things about your knight in shining armour, eh princess?"

The heiress glowered, flushing slightly. "He is _not_ my knight! Besides, I thought I asked you to stop calling me that!"

Yang's grin hadn't faltered in the slightest. "Well, if you say so. I suppose that means you aren't interested in going – seeing as you feel so strongly about it?"

For a moment, the heiress seemed just about ready to jump over the table and attempt to suffocate the brawler. Her usual self-control returned quickly however, and she turned to look at Jaune instead. "I think _I_ can speak for all of us," here she glared at the leader's fellow blonde for emphasis, "when I say that we'd be very interested in coming along."

Blake and Ruby seemed to prefer the white-haired girl's response, nodding along with it. The brunette chipped in, offering support for her friend. "Yeah, I mean Jaune trained for seven years – I bet it'll be awesome!"

Oh. Bugger.

* * *

Jaune couldn't pay much attention in history, thinking as he was about how to get around the issue that he'd suddenly become aware of. _'_ _This is why I never liked lying.'_

Even before his seven year break from humanity, he'd been a terrible liar. It was too complex; one lie built on another, which was built on another, and they formed massive rickety structures that toppled with the slightest provocation.

Now, it was all going to come back and bite him. Ruby, Weiss and Blake still didn't know about his past – and he'd explained away his lack of social skills to Ruby by lying to her about how he'd spent the past seven years. That lie had now spread to Weiss and Blake, with Yang and his team immediately understanding what the younger girl's outburst must mean.

That wasn't helpful though, since he hadn't been able to speak with his team or the elder sister about how he could avoid the truth coming out. Lunch had ended immediately after the acceptance of his invitation, and Yang had been chewed out by Weiss all the way to history. Ren had given him a sympathetic look, while Nora hadn't seemed at all interested in bailing him out.

Even Pyrrha hadn't been forthcoming with any aid. His partner had instead chosen to let this serve as a learning experience regarding the importance of proper communication in friendships.

Now he was knee-deep in the problem. He still didn't want to burden Ruby with his story...warrior or not, she was too... _bright_ for something like this, in his eyes. Her older sister hadn't taken his story well, and he didn't want to cause that kind of anguish in his friend. But at the same time, he had recognised the kind of bond that the telling had formed in his own team , and he couldn't help but want that with his other friends.

His wish bounced around in his head, providing a counterpoint to his own instincts. The things he was considering these days went against what he had been taught as a child. His experiences were beginning to tell him that sharing his burdens could be good for himself and others, but his father had taught him that it was a Huntsman's job to shoulder as much weight as possible so that others could be free. So which was right? Who was he supposed to listen to?

He felt like he should try and remember his father by carrying on as he'd been taught...but was that really what he would have wanted? His father, a Huntsman who had happily let every member of his family do exactly what they wanted with their life.

The Vasilias branch family had spawned a writer, a dress-maker, two cooks, a soldier, a lawyer and an artist. Indigo and Olivia had supported each and every one of their daughters in their pursuits, never once trying to convince them to follow in their own footsteps. In fact, Jaune had been the only one who had wished to become a Huntsman like his parents.

He'd often wondered if that was because he'd been the only member of the family who wasn't related by blood. His parents had never concealed that he was adopted – nor had it ever really mattered to Jaune. But with his blond hair, so different from his siblings, he had stood out a bit.

Then again, the difference was only skin deep. They had been as closely knit a family as it was possible to be, and he'd been their little brother. Come to think of it, he'd never actually been able to keep a problem or secret to himself.

Sooner or later, one of his siblings would pry it out of him. Then it inevitably became family knowledge, and whatever the problem was bore the full brunt of the family's attention.

Most of those problems evaporated on the spot. Really, what was so different about talking to his friends about this?

The obvious answer came in seconds. _'My sisters are gone.'_ _  
_

There it was. The reason he was shying away from revealing anything if he didn't need to.

Being around NPR, RWBY, CFVY - he'd fallen into old habits. Just as he'd said to Yang, he had begun treating everyone around him like family. Just right off the bat, handing out hugs as if they were all related.

But they weren't. Jaune didn't have any family left...and if anything went wrong, could he handle losing another one?

Probably not. He hadn't handled losing one family, after all.

His thoughts seized on the opening, a new idea sprouting. _'Yes, my sisters are gone...and that's the point. Sure, they were strong-willed and big-hearted, but only Minerva was a fighter. Everyone here is a warrior; they've trained their whole lives to be here, earning their power - just like Mum and Dad, like Minerva - like me. I should respect them enough to have faith in them.'_

Jaune's thoughts kept spinning around along that vein, unable to settle on trusting his friends or trying to spare them any pain. The blond struggled with the issue all throughout the class, Oobleck's lecture going completely past him until the bell rang to drag him from his contemplation. _'_ _Damn, I'll have to read the passages on my own. Well, I_ do _need the practice.'_

He'd run out of time. He didn't have a solution, so he would simply have to do what he did best.

Improvise.

Fishing his scroll out of his uniform, Jaune managed to open the map of the school. Finding the training rooms proved unnecessary though, as Pyrrha simply called out to him. "Don't worry about the map, Jaune. I looked it up earlier. Come on, I'll lead the way."

Gratefully pocketing the device, the leader hurried to catch up with his team. They left the room to find that RWBY were waiting for them, the glint of excitement from lunch still present in Ruby's eyes.

"Hey there lady killer. You realise if you win tonight I'll have even more cause for your nickname?"

"I am not going to kill a friend, Yang." Jaune's exasperation was clearly audible, but it didn't dissuade the lilac eyed brawler in the slightest.

"If you say so. But nicknames are a _grave_ matter for me, and I think lady killer would look better on your tombstone than lady _killed_."

The corridor did indeed feel like a graveyard...if only because the resulting groans were reminiscent of the undead.

"Coco will not kill me. This is a friendly match." Yeah, not even he believed that. No one who heard it did either.

"Yeah... _friendly_. Well Jaune, I'm telling you not to take too much of a beating out there."

The leader raised an eyebrow, an expression he was getting quite tired of people using on him. "I did not know you cared."

The grin on his fellow blonde's face widened further. "Of course I care, Jaune! I've got fifty lien riding on you tonight!"

While Jaune blinked away his surprise, Yang's team rounded on her. "Xiao Long! You made a _bet_ on our friend's sparring match?" The brawler nodded happily.

"Of course I did! That Fox guy's so confident in his leader that he made an offer. I was hardly gonna turn down free money. I mean let's face it – she has no idea what she's getting into."

"That's not the point!" Weiss wasn't happy, and Ruby moved over to her fellow leader as she began to reprimand the utterly unaffected blonde.

"Ignore my sister...but don't let yourself get hurt, okay?" Silver eyes and blue locked for several moments before the blond closed his and reflexively rested a hand on the brunette's head.

"I will...remain intact, Ruby. I cannot let my...adorable public down."

Blake looked up from her study of Yang and Weiss' conversation. "Don't you mean adoring public?"

Jaune opened his eyes, looking down at the rapidly reddening girl whose hair he was still tousling. "That too."

With a squeak, Ruby vanished in a shower of rose petals and appeared further down the corridor. "Wellweshouldn'tleavethemwaitingsolet'sgo!" No sooner had that jumbled sentence reached them than the small figure was replaced with another flurry of floral matter.

* * *

Yang's attention turned to Jaune, whilst Weiss' went to the direction her partner had vanished in.

She was about to give her fellow blonde another good-natured reprimand for getting her sister so worked up...but the look on his face stopped her. He was looking at the point where Ruby had been just moments before, and his expression seemed split. On one hand, he looked vaguely frustrated. On the other hand, he looked terrified.

Not the normal mix of emotions for someone who had just witnessed a flustered Ruby. Most people just kind of...melted. _'_ _What's going on in his head...?'_

* * *

Jaune looked on, unaware that he was being examined. _'_ _I couldn't even hold her gaze - I actually had to close my eyes. What on Remnant is this feeling I keep getting?'_ His inability to discern exactly what chord it was that Ruby's eyes struck with him was frustrating, and it showed.

Of course, he also remembered a certain conversation a moment or two after Ruby had vanished. _'That seemed...more extreme than a hiccup. I hope Qrow didn't see that...'_

* * *

From a treeline running parallel to the corridor, a flash of light was reflected by the shaking binoculars hidden in the shadows of the leaves. The device was being held by a certain veteran Huntsman, and was shaking as its owner tried to restrain the mirth that threatened to give away his position. _'Oh, her reactions are still priceless...and his face! Oh God, his face!'_

At times like these, Qrow could understand why Ozpin spent so much time spying on his students. It was so much _fun_ sometimes. Still, he'd have to talk with the blond again. Taiyang had always made it very clear to him while they were both teaching at Signal;

 _Qrow, you're my second line of defence. Anyone who makes it past Yang has to go through you – and if they manage that, then you make sure they have to go through me._

The veteran sometimes wished that his fellow Huntsman would have dedicated half as much effort to their Beacon missions as he did to micro-managing his daughters' lives.

Re-training the binoculars on the party through the windows lining the corridor where they were currently walking, the Huntsman waited until they turned the corner and left his line of sight. Then, with a slight creak of wood and a rush of air, he was gone.

* * *

JNPR and WBY walked into Training Room Six unsure of what to expect. They hadn't visited this part of the school yet, having only been there for a day or so. That this had been an oversight was fairly obvious, as the seven first years studied the room.

It was a massive space, easily larger than any of the lecture halls. Firing ranges, various types of dummy and marked crates of Dust and Dust ammunition were clearly visible, scattered among the raised platforms that indicated arenas.

Each one was circular, and somewhat larger than a teacher's space in one of the lecture halls. They also had waist-high walls surrounding them, which Weiss quickly identified.

"Oh, Dust shielding! The Headmaster certainly has good taste - nothing short of artillery is going to pierce those."

It didn't take a genius to understand why the heiress had that information, but Blake muttered it anyway. "The Schnee Dust Company's technology, I take it."

The dark-haired girl got a nod in return, the slight edge to her voice completely unnoticed. "Of course. Who else could do such high quality work?"

Deciding that continuing that particular conversation was a dead end, the other six members of the group began to spread out in search of CFVY and Ruby.

While the second year team wasn't in evidence, a somewhat sheepish leader was discovered among several crates of Dust ammunition. "Sis, you know that blushing and running away whenever your crush makes a move is getting you nowhere?"

Unfortunately for her, it was Yang who made the discovery.

"Yaaaaaang!" Ruby's cry was plaintive, and she immediately tried to run away again. Unfortunately, the older sister knew her far too well. The brunette was captured in a headlock and dragged back to the group, despite protest from the younger girl.

"Well, we're all here. Hey, Jaune, reckon we have time for a warm-up before CFVY gets here?"

"You're in a real hurry to lose your money, aren't you?" The new voice was Fox, who hailed them from the doorway. His team was just behind, Yatsuhashi nodding a greeting as Coco moved past her redheaded team mate.

"Hey, Jaune. Good to see you turned up. Call your locker in here, there's plenty of ammo to choose from, I'll be waiting on that platform." Having imparted sufficient knowledge to get the bout underway, the senior made her way over to the raised area she'd indicated.

Jaune almost wondered where her weapon was...but the bag hanging from her shoulder was setting off all kinds of alarm bells in his head. Deciding that his question didn't need voicing, the blond retrieved his scroll once more. Clicking the icon for on-site weapon delivery, he waited for a moment until the roaring of engines met his ears.

A segment of the ceiling opened to allow the locker access, the machine following a pre-planned route to a spot against the wall. According to Glynda, while you were in the school the lockers had pre-defined routes to take so that no roofs got broken. The locker just took one leading to the building currently housing its owner.

Moving over, Jaune opened the door. Luna Machaera he slung casually over his shoulder, while he buckled on his armoury's second half ahead of time. Also inside the locker were a pair of jeans and a hoodie, the same kind of clothing he had worn during Initiation.

Taking those as well, the leader quickly identified the nearby door marked as male changing.

A minute or so later he emerged, ready for combat. He had dressed in the hoodie and jeans, slinging his blade across his back as per usual. On this occassion, however, he had kept the hoodie's left sleeve rolled up to expose the bulky, black bracer that he had retrieved from the locker.

JNPR's leader took a quick detour on his approach to the platform, digging through a crate of Dust rounds until he found what he was looking for. He collected a pouch of them, taking a moment to attach it to the same belt which supported Luna Machaera. Thus prepared, he resumed his journey.

He joined Coco on the platform where she was waiting, while RWBY, NPR and FVY pulled up seats for the spectacle. _'_ _These are really well-equipped rooms...'_ Jaune noted, as Yatsuhashi fiddled with a control panel set into one of the waist-high walls.

A moment later, a low humming permeated the air. A plane of tinted blue light shimmered into existence, forming a high wall around the arena. "I'd bet good money that the Schnee over there already clued you in about these things." Walking over to the glowing surface, Coco rapped it with her knuckles. There was no sound, but she was definitely hitting something. "They can take whatever we can dish out, so there's no chance of an attack landing outside the circle. Actually, speaking of good money..."

Removing her sunglasses and tucking them away, the leader turned to look outside the arena. "Hey, Fox? What's the pool up to now?" The redhead in question checked his scroll quickly.

"Looks like about four hundred lien. Most bets on you."

"Figures." The brunette replied, returning to her original position.

Weiss' voice made its way through the barrier. "Wait, four hundred lien? Just how many people are betting on this?"

"About...fifty, at last check. Mostly third and fourth years – CFVY has a rep, but your blond friend over there's made a name for himself pretty quickly. By the time you reach your final years in Beacon, this kind of thing becomes great entertainment."

The Schnee heiress was probably going to start a rant, but whatever she might have said was drowned out. "Go, Jaune! Break her legs!"

Jaune felt one of his eyebrows twitch. "Nora, that would not be very friendly."

The shortest member of JNPR didn't seem to think much of that. "Your reputation's on the line! Come on, if enough people think you're a badass we might be able to skip the lines in the dining hall! _Think of the pancakes, Jaune!_ "

Huh. She actually had a point. Still, was breaking her legs worth it?

Probably not. But, he should win.

"Alright, Nora. I will fight, for the sake of the pancakes."

A long suffering sigh from roughly the same direction as Nora's voice made Ren's opinion very clear.

"Jaune, just...don't go overboard, alright?" That was Pyrrha's voice...and he didn't need Yang's advice to read between the lines this time.

Jaune glanced over his shoulder, firing off a grin. "Do not worry, Pyrrha. That will not be a problem today."

"Okay Jaune, you ready for this?" Coco was standing, one hand on her hip, obviously waiting.

"I am ready." He replied, letting his arms hang by his sides as he stood across from her.

Yatsuhashi's voice rang out, its natural strength making him a perfect announcer. "This is a standard knockout bout. Battle continues until one or both combatants yield, fall unconscious or suffer severe Aura depletion. Combatants will immediately cease combat when instructed, to ensure there are no accidents. Now, three. Two. One. Begin!"

* * *

Jaune and Coco's aura levels were displayed on the shields currently protecting their audience, but the blond didn't know that. He was busy charging, crossing the space between himself and his opponent in a second.

He had intended to get a blow in quickly, to try and put her on the defensive. Her bag was already moving though, and he was forced to break off the attack in order to evade it. The accessory passed in front of his face, and he could feel the air it displaced when it moved. _'_ _It's_ really _heavy.'_

It was also returning, the blond being forced to sidestep out of its downward path. Coco maintained her assault, her strikes moving in arcs around her and not giving Jaune an opening to break through. _'_ _She isn't as fast as me, so she's cutting off all my angles of attack instead of reacting.'_

He could probably get through with a full-body charge, but he would definitely take a hit from the bag if he did that. He wasn't the most durable fighter – his Aura might be large and his pain tolerance inhuman, but he had spent more time learning how to avoid damage than how to fight through it.

He backed off, getting out of the fashionista's range. He hadn't gone for either of his weapons yet; Luna Machaera was a weapon intended for cutting, and very little else. It wouldn't be very useful for dealing with Coco's blunt force weapon with his skill level.

His other weapon was beginning to seem like a good idea...but that train of thought was put on hold as CFVY's leader activated her weapon. The bag unfolded, various mechanisms assembling a shining weapon that Jaune didn't recognise.

A moment later the barrels began to spin, and JNPR's leader immediately moved out of its way. Seconds later, an incredible number of rounds impacted where he had once stood. Deciding that getting shot _that_ much was not on his list of things to do that day, Jaune took off in a circle with Coco at the centre.

He was able to move just a bit faster than Coco could turn in place, allowing him to stay ahead of the bullets. _'_ _Firearms and ranged combat are her speciality...I should have remembered that.'_ Still, he had his own ranged combat.

Jaune pumped his left arm, the back-and-forth movement activating the bracer affixed to his forearm. Its mechanisms spun into life, the rather bulky object unfolding as its components rearranged themselves.

Metal plates slid along the blond's arm, forming a flexible armoured gauntlet from his fingers to his elbow. At the same time, a spiralling, hollow cylinder rose out of the plates. It started at an empty chamber just before the inside of Jaune's elbow, wrapping around the gauntlet again and again before terminating in a muzzle between his middle and ring knuckles.

With a final hiss, the weapon deployed a cylindrical grip with attached firing button into Jaune's palm. His fingers wrapped around the weighted grip, his thumb resting on the button. Its transformation complete, the weapon clicked as the mechanisms secured the current position.

Still keeping just barely ahead of Coco's turning circle, Jaune retrieved one of the high-calibre Lightning Dust rounds from his ammo pouch and placed it in the gauntlet's chamber. It slid in easily, locking into place as the chamber spun shut.

Okay, now he needed an opening to fire it. He formulated a quick plan, suddenly leaping into the air above Coco's current line of fire. His feet found the shield, and he pushed off hard. His new trajectory took him directly above his fellow leader, who was turning her weapon to track his progress.

He had just enough time, though. The drastic shift in his trajectory had been too fast for her reaction times, and she couldn't train her weapon on him. He just had to make the shot. Pointing the gauntlet's muzzle as dead-centre on Coco's torso as he could manage in mid-air, he depressed the firing button with his thumb. There was no recoil, and barely any noise – but there was most definitely an effect.

The Lightning Dust contained within the chambered round was drawn out by mechanisms Coco herself had designed, the energy pulled into the spiralling barrel and creating an electromagnetic force which acted on the round's metal casing. The projectile accelerated rapidly for as long as it was still being fired, and so by the time it reached the muzzle its velocity had exceeded that which could be achieved by any conventional weapon.

The high-calibre round's Dust properties were basically negated since the gauntlet powered itself using the round's own energy...but the increased kinetic energy was more than enough to make up for it. It would take some serious prediction to dodge a shot from this, because there was certainly no getting out of its path.

The projectile crossed the space between Jaune and Coco in a heartbeat, hitting her shoulder. _'_ _Not a great shot. I should practice.'_ Still, it accomplished Jaune's goal. The impact drove her down and to the left, putting her well off-balance. With her stance ruined, the brunette had to stop firing in order to reset.

The blond didn't plan on giving her that time, and his trajectory finally allowed him to place his feet on the shielding directly opposite from where he had initially launched. Pointing himself head-first at Coco, he put as much force behind the push-off as he could manage.

He extended the gauntlet in front of him as he went. Alongside being a ranged weapon, it was heavily armoured – most Grimm and blades would be stopped short by it. Of course, since Jaune wasn't one for blocking that was mostly for utility...its real use was in the weight.

The entire assembly was high-density metal, which made it difficult to wear. However, that also meant that in its gauntlet form, the weapon's mass could be employed to make punches more forceful. Especially if gravity was involved – like if you happened to be travelling at a downward angle.

Coco looked up in time to see the approaching danger, and she twisted sideways. She slipped past a lot of the blow's impact, Jaune just grazing her shoulder. That was enough to spin her a bit though, disrupting her footing enough to stop her moving away.

Now the two were in close-combat range. The brunette was reforming her weapon into its handbag form, and Jaune didn't have time to load another round even if his weapon could fire that quickly. Instead, he took advantage of his proximity and went for a flurry of blows.

The second year managed to deflect a lot of the force from the attacks, expertly swaying and changing her footing to deal with the impacts. Jaune needed to disrupt that footing quickly, and with an unexpected step forward he was right inside her guard. He pulled back his left arm, the gauntlet prepped for a hit even as Coco started to swing her weapon at him.

He drove the gauntlet into her stomach, putting as much strength and weight as he could behind it with such little space to work with. The impact still lifted Coco off her feet, carrying her a short distance through the air as her Aura flared. She collided with one of the shields, landing on her feet but leaning over slightly. She stood tall with a glare though, eyes narrowing as they targeted the blond.

Unfortunately for Jaune, the fashionista had kept a hold of her weapon. It was back in its gun form, having apparently transformed in mid-flight. Jaune went for the evasion again, but this time Coco had her back to a wall. With 180 less degrees to aim in, she was able to keep up.

Jaune felt rounds beginning to land on his Aura, the impacts jarring his bones. _'_ _If she keeps that thing trained on me for a few seconds, it will be more than enough.'_ Turning all his attention for now to dodging, the blond started moving in short bursts as quickly as he could.

To Coco watching, Jaune started vanishing from one position and reappearing in another, almost as if he were teleporting. _'_ _Damn, he's really fast.'_ She couldn't predict where he would appear next, and he moved too fast to track. Continuing to fire was a waste of ammunition, so she stopped but kept the weapon spinning. _'_ _He'll have to stop some time, to attack or to rest. I just have to react fast enough.'_

The blond took a couple of seconds to formulate a plan. The remaining electromagnetic charge on the gauntlet should have dispersed by now, so he could load it again. He did so, the round chambered and ready as he registered Coco's ceasefire. _'_ _Okay, she's conserving ammunition. So I can't take advantage of her reloading...'_

He was sure that one full-on attack would be enough to bring this fight to an end. He needed to build up speed before he reached her so that his attack would have the necessary power, but running in a straight line would get him torn to shreds. Unless...

Jaune suddenly stopped his evasion pattern, instead crouching down and leaning forward. He was moving again in under a second, his full speed put into a forward charge toward the opponent. Coco's weapon started to fire again, and the blond felt his aura stopping rounds.

As soon as he had built up enough momentum, he pushed off the ground in a forward leap. Thankfully, Jaune's estimations had worked. Coco's reaction times were fast enough to deal with his initial charge – but they weren't enough to match his speed when he got a run-up. The occassional round plucked at his legs, but the brunette leader couldn't move her weapon in time to intercept him.

That realisation dawned on her face as Jaune pulled back his gauntlet-clad arm. She tried anyway – her weapon swinging into a collision course with the blond. But it was too little too late, and he managed to drive his fist straight into her chest. With her back to the wall, the full force of the blow moved through her body, driving the air from her lungs and undoubtedly dealing her Aura a major hit. There was one last move though.

Jaune depressed the weapon's firing button. The low whine coincided with the projectile exiting the muzzle, impacting less than a second after his punch.

The final attack caused Coco's Aura to flash in an explosion of beige light, signalling that it had been completely depleted. The second year let out a hoarse breath, dropping her weapon as her posture slumped. She collapsed into a sitting position, taking deep breaths as she coughed.

From outside the boundaries of the arena, Yatsuhashi's voice rang out. "Coco's Aura has been depleted! Winner is Jaune!"

* * *

Jaune immediately retracted his weapon, and it returned to its bracer form when he pulled the trigger cylinder further forward using his other hand. That left him free to check on his friend.

"Coco? Coco, how are you feeling?"

He got a few coughs as an answer, though the fashionista held up a finger to indicate that he should wait. She got herself back under control quickly, leaning back against the shield. "Not bad, Jaune. I've had worse – but I'll admit, not by much. You've got a really nasty left hook."

She reached out a hand and gave him a few firm pats on his left shoulder. "That was a good match. I've not seen anyone that fast before."

Jaune returned the favour, taking care to be gentle when he rested a hand on his fellow leader's shoulder in turn. "I have never seen a weapon like that before. You were also very skilled. I could not break your...first defence."

Coco smirked, then coughed again. "Well, I'm glad we both enjoyed this. Now go on back to your team, I'm all outta Aura and Velvet's gonna be in mother-hen mode for a week."

Jaune nodded, standing up. The shields went down a few moments later, leaving Coco leaning against one of the walls instead. "Coco!"

Just as the leader had predicted, Velvet was all over the brunette in seconds. There was a small bag open in her hands, containing what looked like various crystals and plants.

"Velvet, it's only Aura depletion." Coco sighed, torn between fondness and exasperation. "That last attack just wiped me clean out."

"Nonsense, you were running far too low on that last hit. We need to get you to the infirmary..."

Behind the blond, the two girls started to argue about the necessity of medical care. Yatsuhashi and Fox awaited Jaune at the arena's side. "I owe your friend fifty lien – and I don't regret it at all. That was a hell of a display, kid. You're gonna go far." The redhead clapped the leader on the shoulder, before taking off in the direction of his own leader.

Yatsuhashi looked down, his dark eyes inscrutable as they met blue. The two figures simply stood for a moment, before the giant broke the silence. "Wednesday evenings are almost always free for me. Is this a suitable time?"

The blond nodded. "That works for me. Oh, my partner, Pyrrha, would like to come along to our sessions. Is that okay?"

The swordsman nodded. "Miss Nikos has a well-earned reputation; her input will undoubtedly benefit the training." With that confirmation, Yatsuhashi offered a nod and moved off after his red-headed team mate.

That left room for his friends to come forward, Yang leading the pack. "Well Jaune, I gotta hand it to you. You've got some real moves...lady killer."

 _'I forgot about that.'_ "Yang, please find me a new...nickname."

Lilac eyes flashed in glee. "You trust me that much, Jaune?"

He shook his head. "I just won you...a lot of lien. You owe me."

His fellow blonde shrugged, acknowledging his point. "I guess you got me. I'll think it over. Though, seriously..." She walked forward, ruffling his hair. "That was pretty awesome. You've got me real pumped for our sparring match, so don't go letting me down you hear?"

Jaune smiled, nodding. Yang returned the smile, then moved aside to admit Nora. "Jauney, you did it!" The shorter girl wrapped herself joyously around his waist, forcing him back a step.

"Yes, Nora. The pancakes are ours."

Teal eyes shone bright as the ginger girl took a step back to fire off a salute. "You are truly the greatest leader! We will hold a pancake banquet in your honour! Won't we Ren?"

Her partner was standing just behind and to the side, and he shook his head at the request. "Maybe, Nora. Maybe." Walking forward, he grasped his leader's shoulder for a moment. "That was a great display – but you need to get used to your weapon before we start combat classes. Let me know if you want some pointers on hand-to-hand combat." Leaving the offer, the martial artist maneuvered his excitable partner away as Ruby was revealed.

"Jaune, that was...awesome!" All the usual shyness seemed to have evaporated during the fight, as the younger girl gave him a hug just as energetic as Nora's. "You were so fast, but you were all over the place – I can only go like that in straight lines! Plus you had that gauntlet – that's so awesome, why'd you hide it?" The question was accompanied by a pout as those silver orbs met blue again.

 _'That damn feeling again...'_ Jaune just couldn't seem to hold the little reaper's gaze for any length of time, and he took a quick glance around to gain a reprieve. Most of the teams had broken away to talk among themselves, but Pyrrha and Yang in particular were watching him.

Pyrrha had a little smile on her face, standing with her arms crossed. Yang...was utterly inscrutable, and it sent a shiver down his spine. _'_ _She always displays how she's feeling...so why isn't she now?'_ Jaune turned his attention back to the pouting figure in red that was currently trying to meet his eyes.

"Sorry, Ruby. I did not believe it was very...interesting. It is mostly armour, after all."

The pout level increased, and the blond gulped. "All weapons are interesting, Jaune! I mean come on, what else are you hiding?"

Jaune froze. He couldn't help it, he just seized up all at once. He _knew_ that Ruby felt it, as he heard her asking "Jaune?" in a quiet voice.

The training room, or the section of it containing RWBY and JNPR had fallen silent. Nora, Ren, Pyrrha and Yang were all suddenly looking at Jaune. Blake and Weiss were looking around at the others, wondering what was going on. Logic offered an idea, but were missing crucial parts of the puzzle.

 _'This is a perfect opportunity...'_ Jaune realised. _'I_ _need to make a decision. Now.'_

How much did he trust his friends? Did he respect them enough to assume that they could handle it? Could he even say he was their friend if he couldn't give them that?

Well...the simple answer to that, was no. No, he couldn't. Jaune let out a sigh, placing one hand on Ruby's shoulder. _'I'm sure_ _I'll find more burdens to carry...but for now, I suppose I can share one or two.'_

The blond's eyes turned down once again, to the now worried-looking fellow leader. He gently disengaged her hug, crouching down a little so he was looking her in the eyes, forcing the sensation in the back of his mind away for the moment. He reached out and took one of the brunette's hands, taking steadying breaths.

 _'No more hiding.'_

"There is...quite a lot, actually. Earlier, you tried to tell me I could talk to you about...yesterday, right?"

There was still a trace of worry on Ruby's face, but it was quickly being replaced with determination. "I didn't know if you wanted to, but I wanted to offer..."

Jaune managed a little smile. "Well, you...deserve to hear it. Do you and the others have time for a...quick story in our dorm?" At 'others', he glanced towards Weiss and Blake.

Ruby followed his gaze, turning back to meet his eyes a moment later. "I think we could spare a few minutes."

* * *

Yang kept her poker face on when Ruby jumped her fellow blonde. This was the first time she'd actually found someone who she was comfortable letting her sister be around, and it was playing merry hell with her trained responses.

 _'To her, at the very least, he's harmless.'_ She had seen him fight twice now, and she'd seen two distinct sides. _'_ _In the dining hall, he was terrifying. So terrifying that his victory was assured without a single injury. All that fury was being used to defend someone else...but I should never let someone like that near Ruby.'_

Yet that wasn't really Jaune. Pyrrha had said it, but Yang had known it as well.

Whatever had defended that Faunus, it hadn't been Jaune Arc. No, that boy was right in front of her, awkwardly standing in her little sister's embrace. _'_ _He's one hell of a fighter – but he's not a vicious one. He was in there having fun...just like me.'_

She had come to her decision. Jaune was no threat to Ruby, or to her. They had nothing to fear from the blond...and at the same time, her little sister was really happy to have him as a friend. _'_ _I suppose he passes the test. I don't know if he can make it past Qrow, but that's for him to deal with.'_

"I mean come on! What else are you hiding?"

As was _that_.

Yang could see that Jaune understood the enormity of the opportunity he'd just been offered. This was his chance - a perfect opening for sharing his story with the rest of RWBY.

She couldn't see his eyes properly, as they were overshadowed by his overlong hair. Still, emotions flitted across his visible features as he stood rooted to the spot.

It was a long moment they waited, no one daring to breath. Then blue eyes came back into the light, and Yang read quiet sadness, mingled with the hope there.

He'd made his decision.

The brawler didn't even need to hear what he said to understand what it was...but she did need to get her hands on as many spare pillows and blankets as possible. Ruby was fond of wrapping herself in things when she was upset. _'_ _I suppose it's my turn.'_

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Hello again! So, this is my third 10K chapter in a row. Took me a little longer this time, due to there being quite a few demands on my time the last few days. Still, it's here!**

 **So, I've had 5 submissions from readers with Unlimited Blade Works style pairing chants. Thank you, to dragoon109, eppelMax, The Mad King Ben, TheMAO117 and WarrenD for your input, and while it may not be for a little while, rest assured that I will use it.**

 **Jaune's finally getting around to telling the rest of RWBY about his past. How will they take it? Will it sound awfully familiar to a certain former White Fang operative? Will Weiss remember her little comment from back in Initiation? How will Ruby handle it?**

 **Time (and I) will tell!**

 **Okay, now, about pairings again:**

 **The poll for deciding whether or not there will be a pairing has gone up on my profile page – if you haven't already, head there and drop a vote. The third option basically means that I won't specifically write a pairing...instead, I'll hint at the most popular ones throughout the story, and write each one a separate ending once the story concludes.**

 **So basically, you're voting for**

 **-One pairing**

 **-No pairing**

 **-ALL THE PAIRINGS**

 **If the first or third get the most attention, then I'll put up a new poll – this one will dictate pairings. Most suggested currently are Strut and Stumble (Jaune x Coco), Lancaster (Jaune x Ruby) and Firewall (Jaune x Yang). If you have one you want to see, leave it in a review – I'll add it to the poll.**

 **Well, that's it from me today. Thank you so much for reading, and please keep being awesome!**

 **Stats at time of writing: 361 followers, 272 favourites, 16330 views and 114 reviews.**

 **So, basically... _hell_ yes!**

 **I hope you enjoyed reading this even partially as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you have any comments or criticism, please leave a review and I'll be sure to get back to you. Enjoy your day!**

 **EDIT 18.09.2016: Changed some character interactions, accounted for other changes in other chapters, fixed some grammar and spelling.**


	8. VIII - Knots of Fate

Jaune stood outside the JNPR dorm, leaning against the wall. Through the door beside him were all seven members of RWBY and NPR, who were waiting for him. Waiting to hear his story.

He knew that it would hurt them. Maybe they would take it better than the others had, but he was still going to hurt them. _I already made this decision. I can't back out of it now._

That was true. He'd asked Ruby to take Weiss and Blake here so that they could learn the truth. This was his idea, so he should stop procrastinating and walk through the damned door already.

So he did. Heading inside, he carefully didn't meet anyone's eyes. He just moved over to his bed and took a seat on it, leaning forward with his head down and hands clasped. Yang and Ruby were sitting with Pyrrha on her bed. Weiss and Blake had chosen to sit on Nora's currently vacant bed, since the hammer-wielder was sitting with her partner.

There was silence for a few moments, as the blonde took a deep breath. "I have not been...completely truthful with you." he began, keeping his gaze locked on the hands in his lap. "When I...told Ruby I had spent the last...seven years in training, it was a...half truth." The bones in his hands creaked as he squeezed them together.

"I will start at the...beginning. My...surname is not Arc. That was the name of my...hometown, a village in the out-lands." That brought three widenings of eyes, as Ruby, Blake and Weiss reconfigured what they knew of the blond warrior to encompass the new information. Both the reaper and the faunus had experience with such areas, the former due to Patch's location near the edge of Vale-controlled land, the latter due to her frequent trips through the outlands with the White Fang on their way to missions.

Weiss didn't have that kind of experience – before coming to Beacon, she had only ever ventured out of the fortress-like Schnee Manor in the presence of dozens of guards and personal assistants, generally in the latest-issue Atlas Military transportation. Indeed, she hadn't seen more than four or five Grimm in person before the Emerald Forest. Thus she lacked the ability to relate to his situation – though she felt sympathy in any case.

"Arc had a very small...population. But a high...percentage of them were Huntsmen and Huntresses, so we always...thought we were safe. My parents...raised us there because they...thought it was safer than the Kingdoms." That was what they had always told him...they had never expanded on it though.

"Seven years ago, they were...proven wrong. The Grimm came and...annihilated Arc. They...overwhelmed the defenders, killed everyone. My...mother died protecting my sisters, and they...followed. But not me. My...father got me out of the town, and told me to find help. So I ran into the out-lands...hoping to find aid."

Ruby's eyes widened further as she choked, thinking of her own family. Those thoughts quickly turned further back, though. To the last time she had seen that warm smile...to that cold grave in a dead forest. Tears pooled silently in silver eyes as a strong hand made its way around her now-hunched shoulders.

Weiss' reaction was more subdued – but only marginally. Though her family weren't incredibly close, she still associated a great many of her happy memories with her elder sister and mother. Even if she had never really known a loving father figure like Jaune seemed to have done, the idea of losing them...wasn't pleasant.

Memories were surfacing for Blake as well. She had always viewed her fellow White Fang members as a family (never the orphanage, because they were _paid_ to act that way - she didn't believe there had actually been a benevolent bone in the matron's whole body), had always enjoyed having dozens of brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles. But never parent figures – never really. She remembered how, despite being given as much affection as her comrades could spare for her, she had always wished the emptiness of those roles could be filled. Of course, she was also no stranger to fleeing a bad situation – even if her scenario was considerably different from Jaune's.

"I was...weak, though. A child. I...became lost, and I began to...wander. For the past...seven years, I tried to find help for Arc. But there was...nobody. I never found...another human being. There were only Grimm...endless Grimm."

Jaune was staring at his hands now, though his eyes weren't focussed on them. They were a thousand miles and a lifetime away, and Weiss almost thought she could see the shadows around him writhing – as if they wished to rise up and block him off from everyone else. She had thought she understood isolation – had always strived to remain cold, aloof, to maintain an image of perfection and stand above everyone else. But even then there had been _people_ – she wondered, how much worse must such loneliness have been without even a member of the same species to take solace in.

"So I...grew stronger. So I could...survive and get help, I...learned to kill them. I got very good at it...that is why I told you I was...training, Ruby."

His eyes hadn't shifted from where they tried to burn through his own flesh and into the floor below, to pierce the veil of time itself and look back on events that, perhaps, were best left forgotten. He couldn't see Weiss' subtle look of pity as her imagination drew from her own experience, increasing it by orders of magnitude as she attempted to understand the man before her. Nor could he see Blake's downcast features, as she remembered how fervent she had been in her training under Adam, how eager she was to gain strength for her cause. Even if he had though, he wouldn't have seen the shame – that, she buried deep.

"...Eight days ago, a Huntsman...found me, and brought me to Vale. He...introduced me to Ozpin, who knew about my home. He...offered me a place at Beacon, and...I accepted. Glynda helped me with my...speech, and I...became one of the new...students. That was...when I met Ruby." With that, his story was complete. _The parts you want them to know at any rate..._

Cobalt eyes finally dragged themselves from aching fingers to his audience. Weiss' usual composure had apparently been allowed to slip, as she looked on him with sympathy. Blake looked...tired. Indeed, the way she looked reminded him in some ways of how his own expression seemed sometimes – in the rare occasions where he stopped to examine himself in puddles or lakes while he travelled.

Ruby was looking straight at him, and – perhaps, he thought – straight through him to something else. There were tear tracks staining her cheeks as her own memories intermingled with her imagination and natural compassion, giving her a better idea of what he'd been through than most of the others could relate to.

Ever so slowly, she stood up from her sister's one-armed embrace. Yang let her go without comment, even supporting her elbow lightly when the little reaper stumbled momentarily. The girl in red took small steps across the room, settling down beside her friend. The two leaders sat for a moment, before slender arms wrapped themselves around the blonde. "Jaune...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

The words were choked and rough, but Jaune knew their meaning clearly. "You do not...have to be, Ruby." he replied softly, returning the hug. His hand found its way into her hair, and moved back and forth gently. It had always worked for him...he hoped it would help his younger friend.

Weiss rose next, poised and graceful – still, her eyes were warmer than usual. "Jaune...thank you, for talking about this. I can't possibly imagine..." She trailed off for a moment, before shaking her head. "Still, thank you. I'm sorry for my comments before Initiation..."

The blond shook his head in turn, cutting her off. "You did not know, so there is no...blame to be...laid. You do not...need to...thank me, either. I...consider you a...friend, and friends do not...keep secrets."

Blake twitched subtly at that, but the room's focus was on the conversing pair, and so it went unremarked. Two pairs of blue eyes met – one the light shade of a winter sky, the other blue like uncut sapphires. "I suppose not." Weiss said after a moment. "Still, it is an exercise in trust and...I appreciate the gesture." She bobbed her head forward a little. "I hope I'll have the chance to return it one day."

With that, she left the room quietly, choosing to go and be alone with her thoughts for a time.

It was Blake who stood next, standing somewhat awkwardly and holding her right elbow with her left hand. "Like Weiss said..." She started, not even entirely sure what she wanted to say. "This was...it needed a lot of trust. I'm..." _I'm not used to trust any more. Not for years..._ "Grateful, that you would extend that to me." A nod of her own head, slightly quicker than the heiress'. "I'll try and keep that trust."

 _I'm failing already though. 'Friends don't keep secrets' indeed..._ Blake turned away awkwardly, not able to hold the man's earnest gaze for long. _Why am I even here – I'm becoming a Huntress, not making friends..._

"I do not...doubt it, Blake."

The simple phrase was enough to startle the faunus out of her burgeoning internal tirade, and drag her amber gaze back to his cobalt. The brunette had heard a great many lies, and a great many empty words in her time – combining that experience with her above-average hearing, which served as a natural aid to cold reading, lying to her was a trick very few people could manage these days.

There was no deception or deceit in Jaune's voice. Just honest trust, and a measure of...affection? Where the hell had that come from? She'd known him for less than a week!

"I'm..." She didn't know how to respond to this. The idea of someone trusting, befriending so easily and without any real justification...even Yang had the motive of being her partner, and thus having little choice but to build a rapport with her. And Ruby was young yet, in mind and body both – she could understand if it was a child acting this way.

But for all his lack of an education and his stunted social abilities, Jaune Arc was most definitely no child. He was a relatively simple being, but he was forged in a crucible – and all her instincts told her that no such being would offer her their trust like this. "...I'm going for a walk." She managed after a moment, almost rushing from the room to try and settle herself.

With the faunus gone, Jaune's full attention went to the still-quiet figure at his side, the gentle shakes of her body still tangible through the hand still running gently through her hair. "I am...sorry, Ruby." He told her in words that would barely carry to her, rocking back and forth slightly. "I do not like...hurting you. But I...cannot be a good friend if I cannot...lean on you, as you lean on me."

A hiccup interrupted the crying, silver eyes rising to meet Jaune's own blue. They were watery, and somewhat reddened...but there was a fire there now. "You are a great friend, Jaune. My best friend...don't you ever think otherwise." Her grip on him tightened for a moment while Ruby's eyes fell from Jaune's, before she began to speak again.

"I...lost my mother, when I was little. She left for a mission and never came home." Her words were barely whispered, only intended for the blond gently stroking her hair. "I didn't take it well...it took Yang weeks to calm me down. Dad fell apart too...Yang had to take care of us both. She never had time for her own grief..."

She had always felt guilty for that. Shame at her own inability to cope, anger at the world for costing her her mother, guilt and shame at that anger...it had been a self-consuming cycle, and Yang had been forced to deal with that at a young age while she tried to keep herself together at the same time. The emotion was still there if she looked...and now it roiled as she clung to an example of what she could only _hope_ she would have become if it hadn't been for her sister.

Jaune remained completely silent, and the rest of the room did as well. "It was the worst time of my life...I don't think I'd have made it alone. You didn't have a choice – you _had_ to do it alone, and you still don't have people to support you like family...so I've decided." Those silver eyes looked up once more, meeting cobalt head on. If there was one benefit to having eyes the colour of steel, it was how well conviction shone in them.

"I won't let you be alone any more. I'm sure I can talk Dad into it...so you can come join our family." Her last words were delivered to the room at large, as the younger girl tried to emphasize how serious she was with volume.

When the quality of silence in the room changed somehow, she starting looking around, blinking away her remaining tears as she quickly took in the room. Everyone had frozen in place. Jaune had gone stiff as a board in her arms, his face turning red. Ren's hand was covering his eyes, while Nora gave the impression of a bomb about to go off, with how she was vibrating. Pyrrha's jaw had fallen open as she stared at Ruby, while Yang's hair had fallen over her face.

"What?" she asked, bewildered now. She'd been serious...what had she done wrong?

"Ruby...you know it's customary to take someone out a few times before asking them to marry you, right?" It was Yang's voice, and as she spoke her face became visible. It was scarlet as she tried to contain her laughter whilst simultaneously squashing her instinct to crush the boy in her sister's arms.

It took a moment for the meaning of those words to kick in...but when it did, Ruby's face turned as red as her highlights. She tried to speak, but couldn't seem to form words...Jaune, though he wasn't sure it wasn't his imagination, thought he could see steam curling out of her ears.

The blond leader currently held close by the little reaper relaxed after a moment, a low chuckle rumbling through him. "Ruby...thank you. I am...honoured you would...consider me. But still...perhaps leave it a...couple of years?"

The little reaper looked up into blue eyes. Embarrassment, laughter and...something else shone there, as strong hands idly moved to wipe the tears from her cheeks – almost as if on reflex. Ruby could feel her blush getting worse and worse at the gentle intimacy of the action, but she couldn't move away. The paradox of wanting so badly to stay in place and run away stormed her overworked mind, and the girl finally reached her limit.

With a slightly hysterical giggle, she started to keel over backwards. Jaune caught her, one arm carefully circling around her shoulders, but Ruby was dead to the world as she slept with a happy little smile on her crimson face. The blond looked over to Yang, who seemed to be having quite an internal struggle.

"I think that Ruby...should go back to her room for...tonight." He told the elder sister, gently picking up the younger girl. Lilac eyes met his own, then Yang nodded and stood.

"Well she's sure not staying in here. You might wake up in a tux. Who knew she was in such a rush to get hitched..." Even in her sleep, the brunette groaned slightly as her sister spoke. Jaune chuckled, though his own face went a little red.

"I do not...think she meant it like that." The two exited JNPR's dorm, the brawler pressing her scroll to the RWBY dorm's panel.

"I know she didn't. But I saw your face – you weren't sure for a minute there, were you?" Another nervous laugh from behind her convinced Yang that she was correct, even as she moved aside to let the two leaders pass her.

She gestured to Ruby's bed, and Jaune crossed over to it. He lifted her up gently, but one hand caught his sleeve before he could pull it away. The little reaper was mumbling something in her sleep, though neither blonde could understand it.

Rising somewhat on to his toes, Ruby's fellow leader brushed her hair away from her forehead. "I will see you in the...morning, Ruby. Sleep well." His voice brought another smile to her face, and the hand let go of his sleeve.

Jaune moved away from the slumbering girl and out of the door probably faster than the situation truly demanded. Yang followed him, closing the door behind her. The two blondes stood in silence for a moment, both a bit red in the face.

"You know you're just giving me more reasons to kick your ass?" the brawler asked, breaking the silence. She got a nod and a little smile.

"I know. But I do...believe it is worth it." That impish fire in his eyes was back, and Yang rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that lady killer." Lilac eyes faced the opposite wall as their owner's left hand rested gently on Jaune's shoulder.

"You did well in there. Better than you did with us. Ruby'll either avoid you like the plague or bury you in apologies, depending on how serious she was. Blake and Weiss...well, neither one of them's much for touchy-feely stuff, but I do believe you got through to them."

Jaune nodded, his own eyes facing the same way as Yang's. "They...seemed fine, but I...cannot help but...wonder if I hurt them." Yang turned to him for a moment, mouth opening to say something...but he cut her off a moment later.

"Still, it did go well. I...should have...trusted you all from the...start." A smile spread across his fellow blonde's face.

"Now you realise. Well, either way, that was a good talk. Now go take care of your team, Charming. I'll track down Weiss and Blake." Jaune's face immediately snapped around, cobalt eyes seeking lilac.

"Charming?"

Yang nodded, meeting his eyes and feeling her own grin widen. "You wanted a new nickname? You've been promoted. Who knows, maybe Weiss'll even try and add the title!" Her fellow blonde's face falling as he realised he was stuck with his new moniker, the brawler turned and headed for the dorm's roof.

 _I foresee a whole new age of difficulties with this name._ The blond leader thought to himself as he stood in place for a moment longer. _Well, I wanted a new start. What was it Yang said...if the shoe fits?_

Pushing off the wall, Jaune pressed his own scroll to JNPR's door panel. A moment later, he headed back inside to rejoin his team.

* * *

Yang made her way to the rooftop at a leisurely pace. She was willing to bet that at least one of her two team mates had gone up there. Pushing open the door, she was proven right. Blake Belladonna had spun to face her as she stepped past the portal, eyes seeming somewhat unfocussed as her gaze turned from the moon above.

"Hey, partner." The brawler's voice was pitched very carefully. A mix of understanding and laughter that she had perfected over her years as Ruby's guardian. Her 'big sister' voice.

"Yang." The black-haired girl turned away from the blonde, staring out at the glowing tower of Beacon across the campus. It was probably meant to be a dismissal – to drive the brawler off so that the shadowy girl could retreat into her cool indifference once more.

Like Yang was going to let _that_ happen.

"Blake, I'm your partner. An older sister too. Don't expect me to leave you all confused and alone up here."

"Don't I get a say? I'd rather be alone right now." Yang moved forward, taking a place next to her team mate.

"Nope. You're stuck with me for the next four years...alone is now a foreign concept for you." The sound that escaped Blake's throat was definitely a laugh – although it sounded a bit off, like she hadn't had much practice.

"Well, you're here. Are you happy, then? To have seen me like this?" The brawler seemed to consider it for a moment.

"Nope. My unflappable partner's all shaken up, and that's no good at all. I can't go after the cause either, 'cause if Ruby found out I don't think I'd survive the scolding." Turning to eye her partner, Yang grinned. "I'm fairly sure you'd try and stop me, too."

Amber eyes met her own, the hints of a glare forming there. Lilac eyes turned back to the silhouette of the tower. "Yeah, I thought so. I'm not gonna pry, since I did that once this past week and had a breakdown for my troubles. But it's pretty obvious that Jaune's story got you thinking. If there's something going on, or if something happened, then I'm a pretty good listener when I want to be."

A moment's thought, and Yang added "You could talk to Jaune, too." The black haired girl laughed again...it wasn't a pleasant sound though.

"You know, I think I probably could. When he said he had no doubt...he meant it. _Truly_ meant it. I've known him less than a week, we've barely even _spoken_ , and he puts that kind of trust in me." She threw her hands up. "What kind of person even _does_ that?"

Yang nodded, chuckling wryly. "Yeah, he's pretty screwed up in the head...but that's just one of the things that makes him Jaune." A hand settled on Blake's shoulder, warm and powerful. "He trusts you, Blake. He trusts all of us, for reasons I'm still processing. So, one of these days, if you feel like it, go ahead and put your faith in him too."

Amber eyes locked onto lilac. They were completely unphased, a small grin playing around the brawler's lips as she spoke. "Hey, it's just a suggestion. But if you want to get ahead of Ruby, I'd do it sooner rather than later."

Still in a semi-serious, not particularly stable state of mind, the faunus was completely unprepared for the sudden transition to teasing, and found her mind unwillingly shunted onto... _other_ lines of thought. After all, Jaune _was_ her age – and he was incredibly strong, he had that whole adorably-oblivious thing going on, and he was rather easy on the eyes...

She was flushing before she knew it, particularly when she recalled some of the more... _intense_ scenes from her 'keep-away-from-Ruby-at-all-costs' variety of literature, and she rounded on her 'comforter' even as the other girl made to leave the roof. "Dammit Yang!" The blonde waved a hand over her shoulder, just before she vanished into the stairwell.

The blonde's face, hidden from view, bore a wide smile. _That wouldn't work on her normally...but tonight, a little flustered will be good for her._ Heading back into the dorm building, lilac eyes scanned the corridors. _Now, where's Weiss got to?_

* * *

The Schnee heiress was seated in Beacon's courtyard, on one of the benches ringing the area around the unnamed memorial which took pride of place before the school, her eyes vaguely focussed on the sculpture but not really seeing it even as moonlight played across the stone.

She wasn't, by nature, a particularly emotive person. Perhaps she had been once, but years under her father's roof had most definitely changed that. These days, she found that the feelings which came most easily were generally negative. Smug satisfaction. Irritation. Pride.

Still, she found herself in a rare moment of quiet contemplation, where she found herself experiencing the oddly heart-warming feeling of truly making a connection with another person. Not a business deal, not a professionally courteous meeting or interview... No, listening to Jaune had been a case study in human empathy. Chilled though it was, her heart went out to the man.

Utterly alone, in a world of things trying to kill him – that was how he'd lived for seven years. How could anyone _not_ feel pity for such a person? To be able to shrug off such a thing was an act outside the realm of humanity – or so Weiss found herself believing. And, despite the best efforts of the Schnee partiarch, she had not yet made the transition from teenage girl to icy picture of Schnee perfection.

She smiled to herself at that thought – an evil little grin, the kind she could only ever show her sister as they shared their selfish glee at resisting the will of their overbearing sire. Oh, Winter put on a good show – in public, she was rarely anything less than the straight-laced Atlas Specialist she had been raised as. But between just the two of them, and their mother on the rare occasions when they saw her, she had an infectious smile and a real gift for raising spirits.

That turned her thoughts to the _other_ major point of Jaune's history. His family...or the loss thereof. She wasn't a fool – she had some confidence in her own skills, but at least some part of her acknowledged that the only reason she still felt... _anything_ really, was that her sister and mother had done their best to preserve the spark of humanity in her. Without them, she might well have broken – or worse, fused so tight she turned to ice.

To have that taken away – to lose that warmth, that kindness, that strength – it would have been devastating. Would _still_ be devastating. But that man...he'd survived it. Survived it, survived the gauntlet that followed, and somehow he was still mostly functional. Functional enough, indeed, to save two freefalling Huntresses-in-training and, apparently unknowingly, fulfil the Prince Charming archetype to a frankly disturbing degree.

She couldn't have done that – she had to admit it. Jaune Arc was simply an existence beyond hers, with a strength she did not possess. An incredible strength...and, it would seem, weaknesses to match. He hadn't really been in that room with them as he spoke – he'd been far, far away. To her, who had been trained for years in the arts of negotiation and cold reading, that was a sign of exploitable vulnerabilities.

She had no fear about the man running into an opponent he couldn't overcome physically. He was larger than life, on a level she could barely even conceive of existing – and that was _without_ making use of his Semblance, which she had absolutely _no_ doubts that he possessed.

No, the twist of worry which she now contemplated was that there would be some manipulator, or actor, or schemer, or even just a sadist who could push his buttons enough to take advantage of him.

That was unacceptable. The nature of Jaune Arc was one which overcame every obstacle placed in front of it – for him to be brought low in such a fashion would be a cruel fate indeed.

"So you were here, huh?"

Weiss jolted out of her seat, automatically reaching for Myrtenaster – before she recognised the voice, and settled down. "Yang."

Footsteps moved up beside her, and the white-haired girl turned to see her team mate take a seat on the bench she'd just vacated. After a moment, the heiress did likewise. "The one and only. Just checkin' up on my teammates." Lilac eyes met hers searchingly, and Weiss met them steadily.

"I'm perfectly fine. I appreciate the concern, but I am in no distress." God, sometimes the way she spoke – but it had become a habit, and one that would be incredibly hard to break.

The formal language didn't phase the blonde one iota. Instead, she leaned back on the bench, assuming a relaxed posture as she turned to look at the statue. Removing herself from Weiss' personal space, breaking eye contact – a technique to help keep her calm.

"I don't doubt it – you've been keeping your cool since we met." Idly, Weiss wondered if she should call her on what she was _sure_ was a pun. "But still, it never hurts to talk things over with someone. No one walks away from a tale like that without something to vent."

There was silence between them for a moment as the heiress considered the pros and cons of talking things over with the brawler. In the end though, no matter how crass and loud she could be, at her core Yang Xiao Long somehow reminded her of Winter – and bouncing ideas off her elder sister was a well-practiced act.

"I've been thinking about how...twisted, Jaune is." She began, nothing more than a low hum indicating that Yang had heard her.

"Physically, I've never seen anything like him. I didn't think it was possible to do the things he did, even with Aura – even with a Semblance. It's...beyond human." She chose her words carefully. There was a rapport, an understanding of some kind, between the two resident blondes. She didn't understand it herself, nor did she comprehend the reasons behind it, but she could tell that they were close. She didn't want to make the other girl angry by choosing diction with ulterior meanings.

"But his mind...he's got such a _history_ to him, and there are so many people who specialise in dragging out the darkness in people. I...worry." She confessed, feeling ever so slightly ridiculous as she did. The idea of Jaune Arc needing help from _her_ , who he had saved – well, it just didn't seem logical.

So it was to her mild surprise when there was an affirmative grunt from beside her. "I know what you mean. Jaune's a badass, no doubt about that. He's like one of those guys straight outta the comics, you know?" Weiss didn't know – no comic book had ever made its way inside Schnee Manor – but she thought she had read enough books to possibly recognise character archetypes.

"Yeah, like a comic book hero – someone who had the world dropped on him, but who got back up from it all the stronger. Even if he's strong enough to lift it now...that doesn't change the fact that, at some point, that _did_ happen to him – and no strength is absolute." The last part was spoken softly, as if from experience.

"So, Weiss – I understand."

"I don't." She spoke quickly, almost absently...but she wanted to reach a resolution with this. "I don't know why I'm like this. Why I care enough for someone I've known only a few days that I can lose myself in thought over them. I just...don't get it." Another confession. It was not the Schnee way to admit weakness – but it wasn't the Schnee way to care for others either, so that was already shot to Hell.

Next to her, the blonde brawler turned to her with a grin. "I thought that'd be obvious, Weiss. The guy literally caught you as you fell from the sky. He's a blond, blue-eyed badass with a hero complex and a smile that, I swear to God, actually _shines_. You do the math."

Frowning, the snowy-haired girl did just that...and promptly let out a sound that was as close to a groan as she could muster with her face buried in her hands. "Yup," Yang continued, apparently privy to the heiress' thought process, "you've got yourself a crush right there. Or, at least, you've fixated on him."

Porcelain skin now warmed to a rosy pink, as Weiss shook her head without lifting it form her hands. "A lifetime of mental conditioning and training, and I start going gaga over the first person to sweep me off my feet?" She muttered to herself, not sure if she should laugh, cry, or bash her head against the nearest solid object. Eventually, she just threw back her head and bent her back over the bench's spine, letting out a strangled moan.

"Oh, cheer up Weiss!" Yang told her cheerfully. "I mean, there are far worse choices around."

Eyes like a winter sky pinned the brawler with the single most withering glare that Beacon's courtyard had seen since the days of Glynda Goodwitch's attendance as a student. Not that it did anything but bounce off the other girl.

Deciding her work there was done, Yang climbed to her feet and stretched for a moment. "It's getting late now – Blake'll be back in the room by now, and Ruby's already asleep. We should probably head back."

With a sigh, Weiss emulated her teammate a moment later, rising and dusting herself off habitually. "Oh, and Weiss?"

The snowy warrior turned back to the blonde, seeing the serious expression plastered across her features. "Whatever the connection is between you and Jaune – don't go trying to strangle it or anything. Change its nature, maybe – but let it happen. He's gonna need someone who can teach him how to deal with people like you've learned to, and he'll always need more people he can trust around him." Weiss found herself acknowledging that almost instinctively – whatever tone of voice Yang was using, it cut straight to her brain's processing centres.

"Besides," she continued, tone and features lighter now, "maybe he'll actually manage to loosen you up a bit." As the heiress felt herself reddening once more, and set off in pursuit of the now running Xiao Long, she allowed herself a smile on the inside. Yes, their new resident combat machine would need help in adjusting to this world again. And who better than a person who had been taught such things their whole life? She would have a place at Jaune's side...and she had to admit to herself, the idea of having such a friend as him was a pleasant one.

* * *

Morning in the RWBY dorm was ushered in by the beeping of an alarm clock, rousing three of its four members. Yang, Blake and Weiss all dragged themselves from the comforable abyss of their slumber to start the day, but Ruby was still sleeping.

In fact, she was still asleep by the team WBY had finished showering and dressing. She was wrapped in her blankets, slumbering with a peaceful smile on her face.

The leader's older sister was staring at her, a grin spreading across her own face in turn. "Blake, Weiss? You guys follow my lead, okay?" Without even checking to see if they were listening or understood, the brawler started poking her younger sibling on the cheek. "C'mon sis, get up!"

The scythe wielder rose into consciousness with a groan, silver orbs blearily locking on to lilac. "Yang...?" The blonde nodded.

"Yeah, it's me. Now get up – it's a big day, after all." The brunette rubbed at her eyes sleepily.

"Why?"

Yang's grin got even wider. "Well it's your honeymoon today, isn't it?"

Blake and Weiss suddenly understood the blonde's rather open-ended instruction, and turned to look at each other. A lot passed between the two, including the rather rude awakening that Ruby had subjected them to not two days ago. The heiress and secret faunus then turned back to their leader, who was sitting bolt upright.

"Honeymoon?" she squeaked, eyes darting around and mind trying to recall the events of the previous night.

"Yeah. I mean, you remember proposing to Jaune don't you?" The brunette's face had started to glow with warmth, her speech beginning to fail as her brain overheated.

"That wasn't...I mean, I didn't...it wasn't supposed to..." Ruby eventually stopped trying to defend herself vocally, and just vanished into the bathroom with a shower of rose petals. The door closed behind her, and Yang noticed that she'd grabbed her uniform on the way.

Turning around, the brawler could see a little smile on both her team mates' faces. "I think that pays her back for the whistle, don't you?" she asked, getting twin nods in return. "Alright, let's get a move on. JNPR are probably at breakfast already."

The three set about getting changed, donning their uniforms before opening the door. "We're heading out, Ruby. I'll save you a spot next to Jaune~!" A plaintive squeak could be heard from the closed bathroom before the dormroom's portal swung shut behind the trio.

* * *

Jaune's morning had been fairly uneventful. His habit of rising with the sun gave him an extra hour before his teammates were awake, which had been enough time to read a chapter of Oobleck's book. _It's slow going, but at least it's going. I just have to practice._

One hour later and the waking of NPR had gone just as it had the previous morning. They were assembled by a quarter past the hour, and the quartet made their way to breakfast. WBY joined them at the table, the seven friends exchanging greetings.

"So Ruby is...avoiding me?" Jaune asked Yang as she settled down next to him. The brawler gave him a malicious grin, shaking her head slightly.

"Not quite. I just reminded her of last night and she locked herself in the bathroom. She'll be along sometime soon." Relieved that he wasn't going to have to chase his friend around to convince her that nothing was wrong, JNPR's leader turned his attention back to the stack of pancakes currently set in front of him.

He was about two-thirds of the way through it when a red-cloaked figure made its way into the hall, collecting some pancakes of its own before heading over to join WBY. Yang was grinning again, and shifted a seat to the left once she saw Ruby approaching – leaving the only free seat next to Jaune.

The brunette leader stopped in her tracks when she saw that, nonverbally pleading with her sister. It just bounced right off, and the little reaper sat down gingerly. "Morning, Ruby." Jaune kept his greeting neutral, offering her a nod as he took a momentary break from his meal.

"...Morning Jaune." His fellow leader's words were mumbled, and there was definitely a red tinge to her face. When no more words were forthcoming from the blonde, Ruby risked glancing at him.

The warrior was entirely focussed on eating, not even glancing at her in turn. _Is he really not going to mention what happened last night?_ Well, she couldn't just _ask_ him...that would be too embarrassing. Ruby cursed herself once again for her complete lack of social skills, deciding to try and bury her flush in pancakes.

Jaune in the meantime looked at Yang over her sister's head. His fellow blonde had a little smile on her face as she watched, and he shot her a raised eyebrow. This behaviour didn't fit with either of the possibilities the brawler had described the previous night.

That smile grew larger as she held up a finger. _Wait for it?_ Looking down, JNPR's leader watched in fascination as the brunette sitting next to him began to undergo a transformation.

As time passed, she seemed to grow redder and start to vibrate slightly. _This reminds me of Nora..._ he thought, watching as the reaper worked her way up to something.

Apparently she reached a melting point, as Ruby abruptly spun in her seat once her tray was clear. "I'm so sorry about last night!" she started, speaking almost at the same rate as Oobleck.

"It's just that you're really cool but really sad and I thought that having a family would be good for you and I've never had an older brother which is what I meant when I said you'd be part of the family I wasn't asking you to marry me that would just be really embarrassing for both of us and I think Yang would try and kill us both..."

It took that long for the Huntress in training to finally expend her full lung capacity, and she took deep breaths to try and pay the oxygen debt she'd just incurred. Before she could start again, Jaune put a hand on her shoulder.

"That is...enough, Ruby, I...understand. Like I said last night, I...appreciate your gesture. But I already think of...everyone here as family. So we can just...forget last night ever...happened." Looking from the brunette beside him to the other two newly-introduced members of his inner circle, he felt sure they understood he was extending that offer to them as well.

"Now, let us eat. Classes start...soon." Turning his attention back to the almost empty plate in front of him, Jaune caught a glimpse of his fellow blonde out the corner of his eye. She was mouthing something... _told you so._

* * *

First period, Grimm Studies with Professor Port. Once again, Jaune found himself in awe of the veteran's tales...that day, he recounted his adventures while searching for a particularly nasty pack of Beowolves. He had travelled almost the length of Vytal, from Vale in the West to Vacuo in the East.

That trip had seen the man climbing mountains, fording rivers and braving forests of ancient Grimm. The blonde paid particularly close attention while he recounted the process to rock climbing and dealing with high altitudes. His experiences during Initiation had brought the whole 'not being able to ignore most obstacles' handicap that had been brought on by his promise to keep Lailah within him.

The story also told him about the uses of several plants he was sure he'd encountered during his wanderings, but had always just avoided. He would never have suspected that the pretty blue flowers he used to sleep on were actually edible...that would have saved him quite a bit of effort hunting.

For the two and a half hours during which JNPR's leader could devote his full attention to the elder Huntsman, Jaune felt like he was listening to the tale of what his life could have been like had he known a little more during his travels. It was captivating, and it was educational...so he couldn't understand why Ren had passed out, Pyrrha was trying very hard not to tear her own hair out, and RWBY were stuck somewhere between the two.

 _I wonder why they can't appreciate his teaching like Nora and I...?_ It was strange to him, but he supposed that perhaps they already knew these things? They had been training all their lives after all – so perhaps they had experiences of their own they could draw on?

Oh well. He had noted down all the new information from the Professor's tale, taking the time to practice his handwriting. He could get by, but it obviously wasn't great work. Still, he could read it – that had to count for something.

"So it was that I finally came across the beasts' lair. Upon entering, I discovered to my shock that my trusty weapon had at long last run out of ammunition. The pack was far too numerous to employ my conventional tactics, so I made use of the single greatest skill a Huntsman will ever acquire: improvisation!"

Scanning the class, the great moustache rippled with the expulsion of air as the Professor's voice grew several orders of magnitude more powerful. " **WOULD ANYONE CARE TO TELL ME HOW THEY WOULD DEAL WITH THIS SITUATION?** "

The majority of the class were startled awake, with about half of those immediately falling off their chairs. The almost musical sound of nearly forty people groaning in unison filled the air, but only two hands were raised.

They belonged to Weiss Schnee and Jaune Arc, and the veteran Huntsman pointed first to the heiress. "Ms Schnee, let us hear your idea first!"

Clearing her throat, Weiss began to speak. "I would immediately retreat into the surrounding forest and throw my pursuers off the trail. I would then observe the den until such time as all the Grimm had congregated inside, and then take measures to wipe them out in one fell swoop."

Strong fingers caressed the brush-like follicles of Beacon's most magnificent facial hair, while the owner of those appendages nodded. "An excellent idea Ms Schnee! It minimises the risk of harm, while maximising the possibility of eliminating the threat. There are, of course, flaws – but it is still a perfectly viable strategy."

Turning now to the blonde in the second row, the Professor spoke once more. "Now, Mr Arc, what would you have done?"

"Sir, I would have...immediately sought the Alpha. Once I had...identified it, I would...provoke it in order to elicit an...instinctual response. This would force the lesser Grimm to stay away while I...battled the leader. Once the Alpha was dead, I would...surround myself with as many of the Grimm as possible. With no...leadership, they would tear each other apart in the...melee just as...readily as they would me. This would leave me free to...significantly reduce their...numbers and thus even the odds for combat."

Most of the class had turned to look at the blonde in shock...except for Nora and Port. The hammer-wielder apparently very much liked the idea of simply breaking one's way through the enemy, and was scribbling in her notebook. The Professor, though his eyes were hidden, was shaking slightly.

The reason why became evident moments later, as what could only be described as a guffaw boomed forth. The veteran laughed long and hard, a hearty sound that belonged in a children's story somewhere. "Mr Arc, you are truly a warrior after my own heart! Indeed, that very strategy is what I employed in the defeat of that pack!"

Weiss was looking back and forth between the professor and student, a certain level of shock and confusion in her eyes. "But sir, how could you even be sure that would work? That plan still requires you to beat the Alpha and most of the pack, it carries an enormous element of risk!"

Calming down, Port addressed the heiress. "Yes indeed Ms Schnee, that plan would seem incredibly risky...but you fail to consider one thing." Standing straight, the professor bashed one fist against his chest. "We are Huntsmen and Huntresses! We are the shining light of the Kingdoms, their sword and their shield! We swear our lives to their service, and our bodies are engineered to fulfil that promise!"

His voice grew louder and stronger, and even those who considered the veteran Huntsman a braggart and a fool couldn't deny the power that voice held. "We are more powerful than any monster, for we have a purpose to carry out! By our skill and our strength we may accomplish miracles...and through our knowledge we can repeat those miracles time and again."

Settling down again, the professor addressed the class at large. "A Huntsman's knowledge of the monsters we fight and how they react may turn the battle in their favour. A Grimm is no more than a bundle of instincts and pure evil; they are utterly predictable, save for the rare few who live to incredible age. Thus, when challenged an Alpha will face the opponent one-on-one. It is a rule of Grimm, and one that we exploit whenever it is possible to do so."

Weiss had slumped in her seat, apparently trying to process the fact that machoism extended even to the monsters she was expected to spend her life slaying. The bell went moments later, and the class began to pack up. A few of them were scribbling frantic notes however, trying to make the most of this rare moment where the Professor actually _told_ them what they were meant to learn.

Ren had remained comatose throughout Port's outburst, and as Nora set about waking him Pyrrha turned to her partner. "Jaune, it just occured to me...you know about most of this already, don't you?"

Her blonde leader nodded. "Many of the...Professor's stories remind me of my...wandering days. I am...learning too, but I used to...defeat packs that way."

The red-head caught the interesting part of that last sentence. "You used to? So you found a more viable strategy?"

Jaune waggled his hand back and forth. "In a way. I simply...became too fast and strong for the...Beowolves to hurt me. I did not need...strategy, after that. I just...killed them." Completely honest blue eyes supported this, and the championship warrior shook her head.

"Well Jaune, I would very much appreciate it if you could employ your knowledge to help us translate Port's stories. I'm afraid that I simply don't understand what he is trying to teach." _Oh. Well, that explains it...I guess I can interpet him because we're both weird._

"I can do that...easily, Pyrrha." he told her, beginning to walk towards the classroom's exit as Ren finally woke up.

"Ah, Mr Arc! Hold back a moment, will you? I'd like to have a quick chat." The Professor had moved up to JNPR, and his face gave the impression of a smile. "You can run along to lunch, I simply wish to borrow your leader for a moment or two."

Three pairs of eyes turned to Jaune's, and he nodded with a smile. "Go and keep RWBY...company. I will not be long." Six orbs remained focussed on his own a moment longer before turning away, green in particular shooting a last glance over their owner's shoulder while they passed the doorframe.

When NPR had gone on their way, their leader turned to face the older man. "You are undoubtedly curious, Mr Arc – so I shall cut right to the point." Moving over to his desk, which Jaune had never actually seen him use, the Professor rooted around in one of the drawers.

"Your unique history has left you rather over-equipped for my class. Indeed, your experience alone far exceeds most fully trained Huntsmen. Therefore, so I can contribute more substantially to your education, I have something for you." Finally having located what he was searching for, Port returned to his student.

In his hand was a large tome, with no title on either the cover or spine. "This book is entirely empty at the moment...but I wish for you to recount your travels in it." Blue eyes shot up to meet the normally concealed orbs of the veteran Huntsman...only to find that they were now open.

Deep brown met blue as Port offered to the empty volume. "You see Mr Arc, I roamed far and wide in my youth...indeed, I often still do. At times I found that my experiences affected me when I returned home. Sometimes for the best...sometimes not. So I developed a technique for dealing with my past."

Still supporting the book with one hand, the man tapped its cover with his other hand. "I chronicled them. In my home there are dozens of books like this, and each one details my forays into the unexplored lands. By writing of them, I confine my knowledge to these pages – and thus when I close the book, memories become what they were always meant to be...stories."

A lot of things clicked into place. _I wondered why he taught like he did..._ "I understand that you have made peace with your own memories...but I believe that getting them down on paper will do you good. If not for your peace of mind, at the very least it will aid your handwriting. Indeed, perhaps your tales will one day provide students with the information they need to survive!"

Jaune reached out tentatively, and the mass of paper and covers was placed in his arms. "This is not an obligation, or a responsibility. I merely wish the best for my students, those of today and those of tomorrow."

Those deep brown orbs closed again, and the Professor patted him on the shoulder in a move far more in line with his normally boisterous nature. "Now, go on to lunch! A growing lad such as yourself should always eat their fill...how else will you come to emulate the pinnacle of physical perfection that all Huntsmen strive for?"

The blond gave his teacher a long look as the man threw back his head and laughed, and he smiled. "Thank you, Professor." With those parting words, he put the book under his arm and left the class to seek out sustenance.

* * *

Jaune reached the dining hall with his new tome in hand, keeping it under one arm as he collected a meal and joined his comrades. CFVY were also present, and Coco nodded to him from several seats further up as he sat.

"Hey Jaune."

"Hello, Coco. You are feeling...better?" The inquiry was met with another nod, Jaune taking the opportunity to start on his sandwich.

"Yeah. Nothing broken, just some bruising – though some of it went deep. Between Velvet and my aura that's all cleared up, so I'm all good." The blonde leader nodded to himself now, swallowing a mouthful of bread and cheese.

"I am...glad to hear that." The fashionista waved away his comment, taking a long draught from a mug before turning back to him.

"Don't you worry your pretty little head about it. Now, you're planning on doing your training with Yatsuhashi on Wednesdays, right?" Jaune nodded, and his fellow leader continued. "Well, I'd suggest you meet him in training room six again. About seven, unless you've got something going on?"

The blond's gaze turned to the giant swordsman, who was busily demolishing his own meal. As if sensing the attention, darker orbs met his own and offered a simple nod. Blue eyes then sought brown, and Jaune gave a nod of his own in turn.

"Seven is fine."

"Good. Remind him, won't you champ? I'm not sure how much stock I place in his ability to organise anything." Pyrrha had been keeping an ear on the conversation, sighing to show that she had acknowledged the request.

Having apparently said all she wanted to, Coco turned back to her meal. Fox, on the other hand, stood and made his way over to Yang. He held out several differently coloured cards, which the brawler took quickly. "I went around the registered betters, they all coughed up. Since you were one of only six who actually bet on Jaune, you get sixty-six Lien."

 _Lien...money. I haven't needed it in a long time – but I'm back now. Dad always told me I needed to find something which would support my family and I..._ JNPR's leader recalled his father's often-spoken reminders that he would be a family man one day, and a well-paying job was crucial.

Those thoughts led to the consideration of the transaction which had just occurred...which in turn put a few new thoughts in his head. Turning to Ren, Jaune posed a question. "Ren, is it...possible to make money by...fighting?"

Magenta eyes suddenly focussed on blue, as the martial artist's face betrayed a mix of surprise and terror. "Why do you ask, Jaune?" he replied, very deliberately not looking at his partner.

"Well, if people...bet on fights here, then they...must bet on fights...outside of Beacon too. The school pays for my...clothes and food, but if I want to earn...money, then I need to find...something I can be...paid to do well. I...fight well, so why not?"

Ren's face had settled, but he was panicking internally. _Nonononononono, I am_ not _letting this happen again. Not after the mob got involved last time!_ He fixed his leader with a stern expression, simultaneously fixing a hand over Nora's mouth without looking. He had _felt_ her intake of breath, and this was a situation that needed to be remedied without a Nora bomb.

"Jaune, what you are asking about is illegal. If you do it then the police, Huntsmen and probably Professor Goodwitch will all hunt you down." That got a massive frown and a creased forehead. Ren could feel Nora struggling to break free of his makeshift gag, but he doubled his efforts to contain the catastrophy in the making.

"That would be bad." Jaune muttered, chin resting in his hand while he thought. _Come on...please let your conscience and common sense be more powerful than your inner Nora...please..._ Ren's face betrayed none of the minor meltdown currently occuring behind his eyes, and instead was approaching Glynda Goodwitch levels of stern.

"Well, thank you...anyway, Ren. I will think of...something else." Letting out a long internal sigh, the martial artist allowed his expression to relax.

"Well, so long as you understand. Now, if you'll excuse me, Nora and I have something to take care of quickly." With his parting words, Ren slung the hammer-wielder under his arm and sprinted out of the danger zone.

Their leader watched them go. "I did not...realise Ren was that...strong." he commented to Yang, who looked up at her fellow blonde. She had listened to the entire conversation, and the effort she had put into containing her own mirth had made her red in the face.

"Oh, it's amazing what fear can do to a man." That almost set her off again, and the brawler began tearing into the turkey set between her and Blake. Blue eyes moved from her in confusion, before their owner simply shrugged. _Something else I don't understand._

* * *

Quite some time later, Jaune stumbled out of Doctor Oobleck's class. His normal grace, almost feline in its fluid motion, was gone. Instead, he moved like a puppet – every action sudden and lacking in finesse.

He supported himself against the opposite wall, trying to let his swimming mind settle. He was joined moments later by Ruby, Yang and Nora. The four of them simply stood there and tried to simultaneously nurse their aching brains and fingers.

"Doctor Oobleck has come closer to...killing me than any Grimm in...seven years." the blond leader managed to say after a while, getting weak laughs.

Ruby seemed to be cooling down, having had a minor overload about halfway through the period. "I don't think I can move as fast as he can speak..." she replied, and the blondes flanking her both placed a hand on her shoulder.

She turned to look at both of them in turn, neither apparently realising they were mirroring the other. Still, it was a nice feeling so she just let them. "At least we have our Combat class next..." Yang said, getting a hum of agreement.

"Come on guys, we should get moving." Pyrrha called for her leader and team mate, and the two warriors managed to pull themselves upright.

"Yes, of...course." Jaune muttered, still trying to re-align his thoughts. Trying to keep up with the professor had completely overtaken his consciousness for a while, and now he needed to be thinking clearly.

RWBY followed along behind JNPR, Ruby clinging slightly to her sister as the horror that was history faded into the past behind them. Weiss rolled her eyes at her partner's apparent fear of education, while Blake just read. Both of them had just about managed to keep up with the verbal flood, and knew they'd be sharing their notes come that evening.

As the eight friends made their way into Professor Goodwitch's class, they found that the seating for their teams was adjacent in this hall. "Ah, RWBY and JNPR. So glad you could join us. If you'd take your seats?"

The ever so slightly sarcastic Professor's voice instilled a definite need for urgency, with the targets of her ire quickly making their way to the alloted spaces.

Turning back to address the class as a whole, the blonde Professor spoke again. "Now, as I was going to say, the Combat course has undergone a few changes this year. As such, we will be focussing on ambush tactics and team-based strategy. This means that one-on-one spars will be done initially in the tournament style so as to gauge the combat levels of students, which will become important later on."

Jaune got a distinct sinking feeling. _What are Ozpin and Glynda thinking? I though we were trying not to draw attention to me?_ "Now then, initial matchups will be determined randomly. After that, we'll have a simple ladder tournament in order to eventually find the top four combatants in the class. The reasons will become clear as the course progresses. Now, turn your attention to the main screen."

The entire class did as they were bid, finding each of their faces in a portrait. They were all grouped in a square formation initially, but as they watched each one flipped over to reveal a gray back...like a playing card.

The 'cards' then stacked into a deck and shuffled themselves. After that they were dealt, leaving a trail of face-down cards that took up the length of the screen. Lines connected each two adjacent cards, and another line then connected two adjacent lines.

The pattern continued until the topmost line had four roots, and thus outlined the format of the tournament. "Now the initial matchups will be revealed." Jaune had almost forgotten about Professor Goodwitch; his thoughts had all turned to his upcoming bout. It almost reminded him of Initiation.

 _Will it be someone I know? Will it be someone strong, or someone I have to treat carefully? Should I hide my actual strength, or go all-out?_ The questions swirled in his mind as all the cards on the screen turned over at once.

Jaune quickly sought his own face, and found that he had been matched up against...someone he didn't recognise. Names began to appear beneath the portraits, and the blonde scanned his opponent's. "Russel...Thrush?" he read aloud, still not recognising it.

"Oh _hell_ no!" The yell came from across the room, and almost everyone turned to look at the source. It was a boy with blue eyes and the strangest haircut Jaune had yet seen...and it was also the boy from the portrait on the screen.

"I am not fighting him! He's a monster!" Russel was pointing in Jaune's direction, but ranting in the direction of Professor Goodwitch. "You can't make me fight him! Hell, I forfeit if that's what it takes, but there is no way on Remnant I'm getting in a ring with him!"

The blond leader sat a little lower in his seat. _So that's how it is...he probably saw what happened in the dining hall two days ago.._ Stranger or not, his words still hurt.

Professor Goodwitch fixed the boy with a glare. "Mr Thrush, do you want to rephrase your complaint?" Her voice was arctic, most of the students around the irate Russel backing away. Unfortunately, the CRDL member was too incensed to take heed.

"No, I don't! The guy's a freaking monster, there's no other word for him!" Jaune sank a little lower, his hands balling into fists as he went. Pyrrha had noticed, and unfortunately for the mohawk'd student, so had the other seven members of Jaune's inner circle.

"Professor?" The championship fighter's voice cut through even the ranting going on across the room. Seven pairs of eyes were fixed on the other student, each one narrowed. "May I make a suggestion?"

That perfectly level tone seemed to strike a chord with the Huntress. "I'm listening, Ms Nikos."

"If Thrush doesn't want to fight my partner..." the sound of cracking knuckles rang out, as the four-time winner of the Mistral Tournament prepared for combat. "Perhaps he should fight me instead?"

Russel seemed to have realised his own situation now. Looking over to the side, he found that the desks surrounding him had been evacuated – except by his own team. He also found that there were six _very_ pissed off women glaring holes through him, and one pair of incredibly calm magenta eyes that scared him just as much as the others did.

He tried to take a step back, simply running into the desk behind him. "Ms Nikos, I believe that's a very fair swap." The professor's eyes swinging back over to the CRDL member, he found himself almost frozen in place by the look in those orbs. "Well, Mr Thrush? Do you wish to accept Ms Nikos' kind offer?"

Russel was trapped. Trapped by his own words and by the glares that were pinning him in place. "Yes." he almost whispered, though apparently the meaning got through. The smile the professor gave him was a long way from happy.

"Excellent. Ms Nikos, Mr Thrush, call your lockers and get changed. The duel begins when you are both ready." As the two students walked to their respective genders' changing rooms, the rumble of approaching rockets could be heard overhead.

As the red-head pushed open the door to the female changing, she looked over her shoulder. Her leader was currently being flanked by Nora and Ren, both of them leaning forward a little to match Jaune's current seating position. _They can take care of him for now..._ Green eyes narrowed in anticipation as their owner moved forward, wrapping her fingers around a familiar metal shaft.

 _Now then...I suppose it's my turn, Jaune. Time to show you what I can do._

* * *

JNPR's leader sat low in his seat, feeling two of his teammates placing hands on his shoulders. They flanked him, with Nora on his right and Ren on his left. The hammer wielder's hand wandered into his hair, where it gently began to play with strands of it.

It was calming, and the blond could feel the gentleness beginning to dispel the dark mood that had descended on him. _Pathetic...someone I don't even know calls me a monster and my teammates have to pick me up again..._ His own negativity reinforced the feelings caused by Russel, empowering his slump.

"Jaune, do you know what a monster really is?"

Ren's voice pierced his thoughts, and dulled blue eyes turned to meet magenta. The blond shook his head, and the martial artist continued.

"A monster is something which hurts others because it likes to. A creature which chooses to inflict harm for its own pleasure, and cares not for anything but itself." Jaune had never heard that definition before, but it felt...right.

"You understand, don't you Jaune? You can't be a monster, because you care about your friends. You care enough about us to listen when we call to you, even when you're facing an actual monster. After all, that Cardin guy fits the description doesn't he?" On reflection, he did seem to fit it. The youth in question was on the other side of the room, arms folded and glaring at the stage without ever turning his gaze toward where Jaune sat.

"I'm going to guess you don't want to be compared to him. So just remember what I told you alright? You're no monster, Jaune. Even if they tell you otherwise, you will always know the truth." Ren's leader favoured him with a small smile...but behind his eyes, there was a flash of something.

The martial artist wasn't sure what, as it appeared and vanished in a split second. But Jaune had felt the words coming to the fore again, and he wondered. _I do not fit the definition of a monster...but I don't think I fit the definition of a human anymore._

But that was something he'd decided to conceal for now. Hopefully forever. So he let the smile grow, and received a hug from Nora as he sat up straight. Four pairs of slightly worried eyes next to JNR immediately softened, seeing their friend rise out of the slump.

Those eyes then immediately hardened and focussed on the stage as Russel and Pyrrha emerged from changing in their battle gear. Miló and _Akoúo̱_ shone in the light, their bronze colouration almost seeming to glow like the sun.

In comparison, Russel's dust-chamber daggers seemed dull. Their owner didn't seem to be in great shape either, pale and sweating as his hands trembled slightly. Cardin gripped his own arms as he looked down on his team mate, teeth gritted.

"This is to be a simple bout. The first combatant whose aura enters the red will lose. A loss is also incurred by being unable to continue combat. Begin!"

* * *

Planes of blue light, just like in the training rooms, sprung up around the arena. They displayed both combatants' aura levels, which were full...for a few seconds.

Pyrrha had rushed her adversary, shield extended before her and Miló in its Xiphos form. As Russel tried to dodge away with a sidestep, the red-headed warrior shifted her weapon to a javelin, the extra length negating the distance her opponent had gained.

The blade was driven hard into his chest, lifting his feet off the ground and carrying him a good distance. That blow alone consumed almost a third of his aura, and he scrambled to his feet while resetting his stance.

Pyrrha initiated once again, in almost exactly the same style as before. This team, Russel tried to use the shield at his back as a jumping surface. Jaune was fond of that tactic...but this boy didn't have his leaping ability. He didn't propel himself in a high enough arc, and the championship warrior simply leapt from the ground and drove her shield into his face.

It ruined his trajectory, and the dagger wielder crashed to the ground with another third of his aura gone. The red-head waited for him to regain his feet, shifting Miló back into a shortsword. Her shield went across her back, and she began to stride forward.

She was going to make a _point._

The CRDL member narrowed his eyes at the approaching girl, assuming she had become overconfident. He initiated this time, the Dust chambers in his weapons flipping over to red. A good two-pronged strike would do some serious damage, and without the shield he could easily outmaneuver such a short blade.

That was his belief, in any case. As he leapt forward with the intent of driving both his weapons' points into Pyrrha, she sidestepped the strike with ease. Russel hung in mid-air for a moment, then an elbow crashed into his back and drove him to the floor.

He couldn't move from his new position, and a moment later he heard metallic clicking. _This is gonna hurt..._ Pyrrha fired Miló in its javelin form at her downed opponent, the rocket firing even at point-blank range.

His aura flared, her blow holding just enough power to replicate the effect of Jaune's attack on Coco the night before. Russel would be heavily bruised, and he was going to be aching for quite some time, but he wouldn't be seriously injured.

"The match goes to Pyrrha Nikos. You may both return to your seats." Professor Goodwitch brought down the shields, and the championship fighter walked away from the coughing dagger user as she rejoined her team.

* * *

She was met with the smiling face of her partner, and the knot of tension that her fight hadn't quite undone finally melted away. Of course an entirely different knot appeared when the blonde wrapped her in a hug. Pyrrha very carefully didn't look at RWBY. She didn't know what she'd see, and she didn't really want to know either.

"Thank you, Pyrrha. I am sorry for...reacting badly." The blond disengaged, reseating himself. The red head sighed a little, leaning back in her seat.

"Jaune, you need to stop apologising for every little thing. Nothing about that was your fault, and that was as much for me as it was for you. Just do something for me..." Green eyes met blue and held them.

"Never believe what people like that say about you, alright? If you feel like you need someone else to tell you how you are, come to us. To your friends. Can you do that for me?"

Pyrrha's leader nodded emphatically. "Yes, I can do that. I am not a...monster." There was conviction there now, and it did the red-haired warrior's heart good to see it. He might be the furthest thing from a child, but something about Jaune still spurred her to help keep him safe. The strange dichotomy of such a powerful individual being so vulnerable...it pulled at her.

 _I truly made the right choice of partner._ Pyrrha allowed herself a smile at the thought, turning back to the arena and screen. Russel had rejoined his team, getting along with help from another member. Sky Lark, she thought.

Her portrait and Jaune's had switched places, and now the line above Russel's picture had vanished while the one above her own glowed. Jaune's new opponent was a dark-haired young man called Enma Blackstone, who was completely unfamiliar with.

"We have our first bout done. Now, let's move on to the next!" Professor Goodwitch's commanding tones rang out among the class, and the next two combatants headed for the changing rooms. JNPR and RWBY settled back into their seats – with the exception of Pyrrha's fight, they were going from left-to-right on the pairings, and the eight of them were close to the right hand side.

They could just sit back and enjoy the show.

* * *

Jaune had wanted to get his friends out of the class and along to dinner as quickly as possible once the bell rang at six, but his partner had held them back. "I think we should speak with the Professor. Certainly it can't do any harm." The blonde had been going to protest...but looking around at the expressions on his inner circle's faces, he had caved.

So Professor Goodwitch waited at her desk while the group approached, a smile playing at the edges of her lips when she took in Jaune's body language. _Poor boy. No amount of societal training was going to prepare him for this._

"Professor Goodwitch?" Pyrrha opened with a question, standing front and centre before a semi-circle of students. Jaune stood just beside her, looking somewhere between exasperated and anxious as his gaze flipped back and forth between fellow blonde and red-head.

"Yes, Ms Nikos?" The deputy headmaster kept her tone level, settling her expression into neutrality.

"If I may ask, what is the reasoning behind the changes to this year's combat curriculum? We all know that Jaune's strength far exceeds the rest of our year – and this tournament will establish that easily. It seems counterproductive to giving him a normal school experience."

Green eyes swept across the assembled Huntsmen and Huntresses in training, each individual expression noted and catalogued. Those emerald orbs finally settled into locking with their equally bright counterparts on Pyrrha's face, and the Huntress replied.

"You are quite correct. Jaune's power far exceeds that of any first year Beacon student. Our own estimates place his strength level roughly even with a third year of the academy. His speed is more in line with a veteran Huntsman, fully trained and in his prime. Even you, Ms Nikos, would in all likelihood be unable to best him."

There were a few flickers of emotion among the arrayed faces. They had seen Jaune's actions in the forest, had witnessed his duel with Coco...but hearing it confirmed by a teacher cemented it somehow. The only major show of feeling was from Yang Xiao Long, as a grin spread across her face.

Sparing a moment to pity the young man who had so grabbed the brawler's attention, the deputy headmaster continued. "If he were to only spar one on one with his classmates, the difference in strength would be readily apparent. Thus, we decided to create a line-up of students whose combat prowess exceeds the class from the very beginning. The logic is that by making Jaune one of a group, he becomes less noticeable as an individual."

Pyrrha nodded to herself – it did seem like it would work. "In addition, we will be spending a lot of time practicing many-on-one and many-on-many combat scenarios this year. This should not only allow Jaune to actually learn from this class, it should serve to do so while not making him the only person who spars against multiple opponents."

It all seemed nicely justified. Weiss Schnee spoke up though, wanting confirmation. "So Professor, there was really no way to give Jaune a normal time at Beacon?" The blonde professor's gaze caught the heiress' and held it. The white-haired girl could see the sadness that flashed there.

"No. From his past to his power, Jaune is simply too extraordinary for us to give him the normality he so deserves. All we can do is try our best...and ask that you aid however you can." Standing, the professor ran her gaze along the line again. She met every pair of eyes in turn, except those of the blond young man who was the focal point of all their interests.

"His time at this school may not be normal. But I believe that so long as he has you, it can still be pleasant." Seven almost synchronised nods met Glynda's words. _They would have done their part anyway._

"Now, head along to dinner. Jaune, I believe you have a training session tonight?" The deputy headmaster's fellow blonde raised his head at her question, his mild embarrassment at the amount of fuss being made over him cast aside.

"Yes, I do. Thank you, Glynda." Turning back to his friends, JNPR's leader headed for the classroom's exit. "Come on...everyone, dinner is waiting for us!" The seven students were hot on his heels, Valkyrie and Rose especially.

Quickly enough they had all left, and the Huntress was able to settle back down into her seat. She should really reprimand him for using her first name...but that could wait. Probably for quite some time.

* * *

Dinner went by quickly, for Jaune at least. He ate his fill alongside his partner, the two of them finishing by about quarter to seven. They bid their friends farewell, although Yang called after them as they went.

"Hey, Charming! Learn fast – I want you in tip-top shape for our match!" Her fellow blonde waved over his shoulder without turning, acknowledging the statement while he sighed.

He and Pyrrha navigated the corridors to the same training room which had housed them the previous night, getting halfway there before the inevitable question. "Charming?"

Another sigh as Jaune pressed a hand to his face, pulling it away to speak. "Do you...remember me asking Yang for a new...nickname?" His partner joined the dots quickly, and he heard a stifled giggle.

"Charming – it does suit you." Jaune shook his head, but kept on walking.

They reached their destination before seven rolled around, entering to find that Yatsuhashi was already present. He was in full combat gear, including his armour and weapon. "Jaune, Pyrrha. Welcome."

"Hello, Yatsuhashi!" Jaune called back, thumbing his scroll while his partner did the same. Their armouries landed at almost the same time, and the blond headed off to the changing rooms after retrieving the contents of his. Pyrrha was already dressed for this, and simply put her weapons on her back.

Moving back over to the giant figure currently standing on one of the training platforms, she held out a hand. "I don't believe we've been properly introduced. Pyrrha Nikos." The second year shook the hand, his grip casually powerful. It indicated power and humility in equal measure – a sign of a true warrior.

"Yatsuhashi Daichi. I'm sure Jaune has already shared the details behind our arrangement, and I am already aware that you wish to aid in my training of him." The red-haired girl retrieved her hand once the swordsman released it, favouring the second year with a smile.

"I suppose there's not much to be said then, is there?" The smile was returned, and the swordsman shook his head.

"Indeed not. Now, tonight is to be focussed on swordsmanship – but that is only one of the things Coco wishes me to teach. She would also like me to work on his curricular activities, so I would like to ask how he's doing in classes?"

The championship warrior nodded, lining up her memories of the last three days and the classes they had been in. "He's doing exceptionally well in Grimm Studies. He's one of the only people who can actually understand the professor's stories, and he's actually going to be helping the rest of us with it."

Yatushashi nodded to himself, mentally ticking Grimm Studies off the list. "In History, however, he struggles. His writing cannot come close to keeping up with Doctor Oobleck, and his mind struggles with it too. I believe he's been trying to study in his own time, but help is definitely needed there."

"Well, that makes things easier. We will alternate then – one session will focus on his sword skills, and another will focus on his history. I take it you can aid with both?" The red-head nodded confidently.

"I am ready." Jaune had stepped out of the changing room, ready for combat. He crossed over to his two trainers, and the taller man stepped forward.

"Good. Now, Jaune – have you named your weapons yet?" It seemed like an odd question...but the blond answered anyway.

"I named my sword, but not my gauntlet." Yatsuhashi nodded ot himself.

"Then that should be taken care of before we begin. Take a few minutes to think." The blonde nodded, walking away and pumping his left gauntlet took shape in moments, and JNPR's leader raised his arm to examine the weapon.

 _What fits..._ He stood in silence for two minutes, turning his arm so that the armoured plates glinted in the light. Finally, something came to mind. That thought turned over and over, until a smile crossed his face.

Turning back to Pyrrha and Yatsuhashi, he spoke. "I will...name it Malleus Accudo." The giant nodded to acknowledge the answer, and Jaune returned the newly christened weapon to its bracer form with a pull of the grip.

"Then you are ready for us to begin. Now, draw your blade if you would." The blond reached his right hand back, drawing Luna Machaera with a click and a whisper of steel. The weapon's beauty hadn't diminished since it had first been forged, and all three of them took a moment to appreciate it.

"Now, take your stance if you would." Jaune settled into the form that Qrow had shown him, ready to attack, defend or maneuver. His blade was level with his eyes and perfectly straight, while his feet were spread apart and his knees were bent.

Yatsuhashi looked over it with an expert eye and nodded. "A good stance, versatile and well-suited to a beginner with no unique style." Pyrrha examined it too, drawing on her experience as a championship fighter.

"Yes, a good stance – if he's only using the blade. It's not going to work if he's deployed the gauntlet though." Moving forward, the red-head circled her leader to examine him from different angles. "In that case, he'd need a stance using the principles of dual wielding _and_ sword-and-shield styles."

The second year smiled to himself; this girl knew what she was talking about, and that would undoubtedly prove useful. "You are correct. However, before we move on to using both his weapons simultaneously I wish to get him competent with both individually. If you would care to formulate a stance and forms for later use, they will undoubtedly be beneficial."

Pyrrha nodded to herself, moving a short distance away and settling into her own basic sword-and-shield stance. She then started shifting her footing through pre-defined positions, her arms moving in similar ways as she worked her way through possible combinations.

"Now, Jaune. When wielded alone, your blade is largely for use with two hands – we will start at this point, then graduate to one-handed use. Which is your dominant hand?" The blond tilted his head for a moment, considering.

"It used to be my...right hand." he answered.

"Used to be?" Jaune nodded, cheerfully tossing his blade from one hand to another.

"I can use...both of my hands now." To prove the point, he worked through the basic slashes that Qrow had taught him with first his right hand, then his left. They were almost exactly the same in both, and the giant swordsman nodded in appreciation.

"That is a very useful skill. Right, I'm going to demonstrate some basic slash-and-stab forms. Your first task is to memorise these and reproduce them – once you have them all down, you should be fully prepared for more advanced techniques." Blue eyes now serious, JNPR's leader nodded.

He kept his gaze focussed on the second year's movements as his blade parted the air. The giant was fluid yet forceful, each blow powerful, yet speedy, despite the weight of the weapon in question.

Pyrrha kept an eye on the two, and shook her head in amazement as, after a moment, Jaune started copying Yatsuhashi's movements as he made them. The giant noticed too, and he smiled as he continued the demonstration.

The red-haired warrior returned to formulating a viable stance for her partner, while JNPR's leader and CFVY's swordsman continued to fill the room with the whispering of steel.

* * *

Watching hidden from a corner of the room, Qrow saw his young charge growing more confident with every swing. _He'll master the basics in no time. At the rate he learns, I won't be surprised if our next sparring match goes very differently._

The dark Huntsman smiled at the thought, and he felt that twinge of pride again as the blonde worked. A small buzzing in his pocket prompted him to retrieve the scroll there, and he held it to his head without taking his eyes off the training area. "Oz?"

The Huntsman's voice was inaudible beyond the other end of he line, as was the voice that replied. "Qrow, I need you in my office. Glynda's on the way – it's started."

"Understood." The line went dead as the veteran cut the connection, sparing one last glance for the intensely focussed young man across the room. _Time to do what I do best._

A moment later, the corner was empty.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Four 10K chapters in a row – do I win something now? I wish!**

 **So, it's been a few days and fanfic still haven't fixed the review system at the time of writing, so I can neither reply to or view reviews outside of e-mails. That means that the long reviews which I so enjoy reading can't make it to me in their entirety...and that just sucks.**

 **As such, I have a request: If you have a review which is two paragraphs or longer in length, please send it to me via PM as well as posting it in the reviews section. I realise that this is a hassle, but for now it's the only way I can read all of what you want me to.**

 **Now then. *cough cough***

 **WE PASSED 300 FAVOURITES AND 400 FOLLOWS!**

 **Yes ladies and gentlemen, we have new milestones to celebrate! As such, I have decided to write a (mostly) one-shot piece to try and commemorate this event. I'm going to be using a challenge sent to me by a reader who shall be credited on the piece itself, and its length should equal or exceed 10K words. So with any luck you'll enjoy it once it is complete.**

 **In other news, the Initial Pairing Poll is now closed. Of the 116 people who voted, the split was:**

 **-91, for Jaune being paired with someone in the story.**

 **-21, for there being no fixed pairing in the story, with chapters following the story's finale to**

 **provide emotional closure.**

 **-4, for Jaune not being paired with anyone.**

 **That's a pretty massive margin voting for there being a pairing in the story, so that's what I'll be rolling with. However, I will most likely still write alternate ending chapters for the story when it's finally complete – since I'd like everyone to get the closure they want from my work.**

 **Going up now is a new poll, this one to decide who Jaune ends up with over the course of the story. At the time of writing, options are Strut and Stumble, Firewall and Lancaster. (That's Coco, Yang and Ruby)**

 **Drop by my profile and vote, or suggest a new pairing in a review to see it added. I'll get round to adding all requested pairings as soon as Fanfic fixes its goddamn review system.**

 **I hope you enjoyed reading this even partially as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you have any comments or criticism, please leave a review and I'll be sure to get back to you. Enjoy your day!**

 **EDIT 18.09.2016: Redid the entire confession scene and made a few spelling revisions. Hopefully the character interactions are a bit more fleshed out now.**


	9. IX - Dichotomy

Qrow, Ozpin and Glynda stood around the headmaster's desk, their eyes fixed on the electronic documents currently visible there.

 _Headmaster Ozpin,_

 _We have received information that a student at your academy may pose a threat to the safety of Vale._

 _This intelligence comes from a credible source, and as such the Council moves to immediately perform a school-wide background check. This will be carried out in seven days, unless conclusive evidence appears which may convince the Council that no such threat exists._

 _If you have any such evidence, or can gather it, do so by Wednesday of next week. If you do not, take the time to prepare any and all relevant information for processing by the Valian Council's Administrative Pool._

 _Kind regards,_

 _Melyn d'Ariamis, Valian Council Third Seat_

The two paragraphs took up one half of the screen, and were juxtaposed by the other message.

 _O,_

 _It's as bad as we feared. Francis Winchester is using every bit of his clout to swing this investigation...in fact, he's using more clout than I thought he had. I can't prove it, but I think he's being backed by someone outside the usual circle of players. There's more to this than meets the eye – if I try and meet him head-on, my head'll probably come off._

 _I've done all I can. From here on, it's up to you. Best of luck old friend._

 _-M_

Qrow looked up, his dark eyes meeting amber. "Well this changes things."

Collapsing into his chair, the headmaster nodded wearily. "Yes, Qrow, this changes things. I expected some kind of backlash, but it would appear Winchester isn't playing by the rules this time."

The blonde Huntress currently standing beside Qrow felt a sneer forming on her face. "Francis Winchester...at any other time I would be first in line for a crack at him. But now..."

"Yes, Glynda. We echo the sentiment." The headmaster pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes as he rubbed the spot.

"Seven days. Not enough time to assemble a complete history, even if we could risk getting Jaune involved." The dark Huntsman's voice was mostly calm...but there was an undercurrent of frustration.

"Indeed, we cannot afford to be put on the defensive. Arc was swept under the rug by the Council – if they discover that Jaune is the sole survivor, certain elements will undoubtedly want him silenced. That's not even considering the kind of firepower Jaune's past gives them in an argument for his expulsion." The tone of Ozpin's voice almost perfectly matched that of his fellow Huntsman.

"If the offensive is our only option, then hesitation could be fatal. We need to try and cut off his support – whoever this new player is, I'm confident we can either force their hand or their retreat with sufficient pressure." Glynda didn't really need to speak aloud – after all her thoughts paralleled those of the other two veterans in the room. But she did so, in the distracted manner of someone talking more to themselves than others.

"Of course. Moving enough resources to sway the Council is a major operation – I'm sure at least one of my contacts knows something. Qrow, if you would?" Ozpin's eyes met the dark Huntsman's, and they stayed locked for a moment.

"Gotcha. Should only take a day or so."

Ozpin stood again, this time turning away from his two comrades. "In that case, Glynda and I will take measures to seal off Beacon's information. If Winchester is confident enough to stray away from usual channels, then we will be ready for him."

No more words were necessary. Qrow and Glynda moved away to the elevator, leaving the headmaster to look out over Vale. _The Grimm...pure evil, responsible for far too many deaths each year._ Amber eyes narrowed as they swept over the many lights of the city.

 _Yet they are only the second greatest danger to humanity. Why is that to defeat the true enemy, we must first defeat ourselves?_

* * *

Jaune had found a new use for his extra time in the morning: procrastination. He'd lacked experience in the act, but had quickly come to realise why it was so widely practiced. Still, it hadn't been enough to prevent him starting work on the Professor's suggestion.

He had only managed about three pages...but he had managed to recount most of his escape from Arc. The blond couldn't help but feel the professor had been right about the benefits of this exercise; it truly did feel like he was locking those memories away in paper and ink. Perhaps with enough time he could seal away the past seven years. _It might even give me a tiny chance at normality._

Of course, he had also found a whole new problem – where on Remnant was he supposed to hide this thing? It wasn't like he could keep it in the open, after all. Assuming Pyrrha didn't become curious and Ren didn't browse it for information, there was an even greater threat.

Nora.

The hammer-wielder's complete lack of regard for personal space was endearing (or terrifying) among friends...but when you were trying to keep a secret diary? It was a nightmare of – well, of Nora-esque proportions.

At least there had been a spot where he could conceal it. Now he just had to ensure that none of his team ever so much as _suspected_ the book's existence. The tome's position could be compromised far too easily – but you only find something if you're looking for it, right?

With another secret thrown on his growing pile, the blond set about waking his team come seven. He had taken the opportunity to shower and change before rousing his friends this morning, so he just sat back on his bed while Nora set to waking her partner.

Fifteen minutes and three showers later, JNPR left their dorm to face the day. A quick walk deposited them at their first checkpoint – breakfast. RWBY weren't yet present, so the quartet settled down next to four empty seats in preparation for their arrival.

That entrance took place about five minutes later, and allowed the all-female team a chance to witness Nora's idea of a good morning. "My leader you may be, but my honour will not allow this to stand! _I challenge you, Jaune!_ "

The hammer wielder was standing on her seat, one finger pointed rigidly at her blond leader. In a blur of motion, Jaune rose into almost exactly the same position. "I accept your...challenge! Who will be the...referee?"

Teal eyes scanned the hall momentarily, before settling on RWBY. The four girls froze in place, suddenly understanding what a Beowolf must feel like watching Ember Celica approach its face. "Ruby of course!"

The brunette suddenly found herself standing in a clear space and looked around fearfully. Yang, Blake and Weiss had all taken sidesteps away from their leader, who held her ground for a moment before vanishing in a swirl of petals. It wasn't enough, unfortunately, and the scythe-wielder found herself running right into Nora.

Moments later the now-dizzy reaper found herself placed on a seat between the hammer-wielder and her fellow leader, who were both faced with massive stacks of pancakes. The haze of confusion stifling Ruby's thoughts was dispelled by the sound of Ren's voice right above her head, the shock of his appearance nearly sending her from her seat. _When did he get there?!_

"The first Beacon Academy Pancake Eating Competition will now begin. The contestants must devour the entirety of their plates, first to finish wins. In the case of a photo-finish, judgement will fall to the referee."

Coughing into this hand, the martial artist raised it into the air. "Three, two, one, BEGIN!" The hand was then brought down in a chopping motion...and the brunette sitting below that hand watched in awe as the contest began.

Nora and Jaune's hands blurred, their knives and forks weaving complicated dances in and out of the food. Silver eyes widened as the stacks began to visibly shorten, despite mere seconds having passed. Neither contestant looked at the other; their attention was wholly on the task at hand, as the two scarcely breathed between bites of sugary goodness.

Ruby was fairly sure this should be disgusting her...but the skill on display simply made her amazed. A minute passed, and the stacks of pancakes which had seemed so gargantuan were almost gone. _Wait, they're almost even! I'm supposed to judge who wins in the case of a photo-finish, right?_

That led to other thoughts. _What if I don't clearly see who wins? Who do I pick? I don't want to be on Nora's bad side, but I really want to be on Jaune's good side..._ A mental image of Yang's grinning face floated into the brunette's mind, and she shook her head to clear it.

 _No! Don't think of Yang, I just don't want to hurt my friendship with him! Stupid brain...don't read into your own thoughts! How does that work, anyway?!_ Ruby's internal musings were interrupted by urgent input from her eyes, and the reaper turned her attention to the scene before her.

The hammer-wielder and the blond leader were both down to their last pancake. Neither one was moving, their eyes locked in an unblinking gaze. "So it comes down to this." Nora's voice was a bit shaky, and she was panting slightly.

"Seems like it." replied Jaune, his own voice suffering from the same detractions. Blue eyes never leaving teal, the blond spoke again. "Ruby?"

Sitting bolt upright in her seat, the little reaper's voice squeaked slightly in surprise at being called on. "Yes Jaune?"

"When you...judge, tell only the...truth. A victory through...dishonest means is not victory at all." In the early morning sun streaming through the dining hall's windows, Jaune's blond hair shone like gold. His eyes flashed with purpose and sincerity, shining nearly as brightly as his hair. For one eternal moment, he looked like a figure out of legend.

If legends were written about competitive pancake eaters. Ruby was fairly sure that she'd never read one of _those_ growing up. She was equally certain that if such a legend ever _was_ written, it would be about one of these two. The brunette was caught between the blush-inducing awe that was Jaune Arc, and the ridiculousness of him wasting such a good line on pancakes.

That infinite moment finally came to an end, Nora and Jaune both making their move in the same instant. The blond went to cut his last pancake...but the hammer-wielder unveiled her ace. She dropped her cutlery, reaching out instead with her bare hands. Grabbing the breakfast treat, her mouth opened impossibly wide – and she stuffed the whole thing inside.

Almost as soon as her lips closed behind the pancake, the massive lump travelled down her throat and into the seemingly bottomless hole that was Nora Valkyrie's stomach. Her leader still had half a pancake on his plate, but it was left untouched as his knife and fork fell from now-limp hands.

The cutlery bounced once on the hard surface of the table before coming to rest, and its blond wielder began to fall backwards. The red-haired warrior on his other side reached out and caught him before he hit the floor, anxious green eyes seeking blue. "Jaune! Jaune, are you okay?"

The cobalt orbs cracked open, and a whispered voice followed. "I am...defeated. You have...beaten me, o great Nora." The ginger hammer-wielder on Ruby's left side got to her feet, moving to stand above her fallen foe.

"You were a worthy opponent. It's been a long time since I needed my Secret Technique." A rattling laugh emanated from the blond leader, whose partner had turned her eyes to Ren. The two were holding a silent conversation, the red-head's face cycling through a number of emotions as magenta and green passed thoughts back and forth.

"Then...perhaps it was worth it." Leaning forward, Nora placed her fingers on Jaune's forehead. The digits were slowly moved down, closing the blue orbs as they passed.

"Rest, worthy adversary. Grow stronger, then come find me. I shall await you on the Pancake Line." Her parting words spoken, the victorious competitor stepped away toward the hall's exit. Moments later, her partner followed suit.

That left Ruby sitting next to an almost-horizontal Jaune Arc, whose partner alternated between gritting her teeth and flashing worried glances at the blond she was supporting. "What...just happened?" The reaper managed to ask, her own team settling into the seats JNPR had intended for them now that the danger had passed.

"Jaune and Nora got into an argument over which of them liked pancakes more." The empty tone in Pyrrha's voice expressed her own thoughts about the situation very clearly, and an equally hollow look entered her eyes when green met silver.

Ruby had absolutely no idea how to deal with this. So, she settled for reaching out a hand and hesitantly patting her blond friend on the cheek. "Jaune, please don't be dead anymore? It's getting kind of weird."

Blue orbs opened once more, and the red-head two seats away from the brunette sighed in relief. "I...apologise. I was not sure that Nora had left yet."

"Well, she's gone. I guess you found something you can be beaten at?" The massive grin spreading across Jaune's face echoed the gleeful tone his voice took on.

"Yes, I have. It is a...brilliant feeling." A snort came from further down the table, and Yang pointed a forkful of bacon at her fellow blonde.

"Just wait till our match, Charming. If you like being beaten, I'm only too happy to oblige." Apparently completely missing the innuendos that could have been drawn from that, Jaune's smile grew even wider.

"I...cannot wait, Yang." Lilac and blue held each other for a long moment, equally massive grins on both faces. The five bystanders looked back and forth between brawler and leader, then let out almost simultaneous sighs.

"You know what? I can't either. Tonight, after school – that training room we've been using. You up for it?"

It was physically improbable for Jaune's smile to get any wider...but his muscles made a spirited effort to explode from overwork by dragging an extra centimetre of grin from somewhere.

"You are on, Xiao Long!" A sudden clunking noise caught both the blondes' attention, and they turned to look at their team mates. That had apparently been the noise of five people driving their heads into the table as one. "Weiss? I was under the...impression that you did not like people...shaking the table?"

The innocent question prompted the heiress to lift her head from its place on the hard wood and growl at its speaker. _What did I do?_ The blond wondered to himself, as he stood up quickly. "Well, I am done...eating. I will see you at lunch...everyone. Yang, I will meet you in the...training room at...seven."

"It's a date." the brawler replied. That earned her a sharp look from her team mates, Ruby in particular, alongside the red-head currently standing beside her partner.

"I'm done too. Come on, let's go find Nora – the sugar rush will be kicking in soon." A sudden look of panic flitted across the blond leader's face, and he headed for the dining room door with the championship warrior on his heels.

Just as they headed through the portal, a hulking figure passed them in the other direction. "Hey, Arc!"

Coming to a halt, the blond found himself faced with the same person he'd stopped earlier that week. _His name is Cardin, isn't it?_ "I hope you're enjoying your time here...make the most of it. The world of Huntsmen's a dangerous one after all – anything can happen."

Jaune didn't like the tone of Cardin's voice. It was dripping with malicious intent, and the look in his eyes radiated that same poisonous feeling. The giant turned and stomped away before he could ask anything though, leaving the partners to stand and face his back.

"What on Remnant was that?" Pyrrha asked, more herself than her partner, as they turned to continue their journey.

The blond frowned, even as he scanned the courtyard for his team mates. "I am not sure. But I think I will talk to the...headmaster when I next see him."

* * *

"The creature was devious and cunning; by taking on the appearance of an island, it was able to evade even my keen senses. A truly incredible feat! So incredible in fact that I was taken completely by surprise when it finally sprang, and can attribute my survival only to the words of my grandfather: 'Occam's Razor is all well and good, but once in a while you need something a little bigger.'"

Professor Port's latest story, which only about seven people were actually listening to, had been going on for the past two hours. In it he had recounted his time spent on a ship out near Mistral, going in search of a mysterious creature that had been devastating shipping lines. To Jaune at least, it had been a wealth of information regarding the essentials for ocean travel and the kind of Grimm that may be encountered. It had also convinced him of the importance of knots and a balanced diet, alongside imparting several tricks for predicting Grimm movements based on the immediate environment – even one as changeable as the ocean.

"Thus, I took his words to heart. With five strikes of my trusty axe, I felled the ship's mast. As the crew made good their escape, I took up my new weapon and faced the creature down. It was truly a disgusting monster, but like any Grimm it proved no match for the superior power of a trained Huntsman! The simple expedient of ramming the ship's mast through the roof of the mouth awarded me the victory, and I returned to shore on the shoulders of the grateful crew!"

As he always did, the veteran finished his story with an elaborate bow. All over the room came the sounds of people being surreptitiously poked into wakefulness, while JNPR's leader took the opportunity to applaud. He had only reached the ocean once or twice, and had certainly never ventured out onto it. Thus he had written almost four pages of notes, and committed a great many new ideas to memory.

No one joined the blond in offering their own praise, but that didn't seem to faze the professor. He simply nodded regally, as if one of his students applauding a story which beggared belief (and served as one of Remnant's most effective lullabies) was just another day in the life of Peter Port.

"Well class, our time together is almost done. I encourage you to browse the library for the wealth of information it holds regarding our oceans. A Huntsman's duty may take him anywhere at anytime – so stay vigilant!"

As if on cue, the bell went to signal the beginning of lunch time. JNPR were, as was their habit, the last team out of the room. As they were approaching the door, their leader broke away for a moment to exchange a few words with their teacher.

"Professor, thank you for the...suggestion. I...understand why you use it." Once again that almost completely hidden face conveyed a smile without ever once displaying the mouth which must be generating it.

"Jolly good to hear, my boy! Whatever I can do for those in my care!" Returning the smile(?) with one of his own, Jaune turned back to his friends and rejoined them.

"It was just about...yesterday." He waved away their curious glances, and the team made its way to the dining hall once again. As they crossed the courtyard, the blond leader caught a glimpse of a green suit. Professor Ozpin was standing in front of the statue which formed the courtyard's centre, staring up at the sword-wielding figure with a strange look on his face.

"Professor?" Jaune hailed him as he approached, his partner following just behind. Nora and Ren exchanged glances, but set off after their team mates a moment later.

Turning from his reverie, the headmaster's eyes settled on the approaching visitors. "Ah yes, Misters Arc and Ren, with Misses Nikos and Valkyrie. What can I do for you?"

The gray haired man leaned a little on his cane, both hands resting on it. His coffee mug was nowhere in sight – a very strange occurrence at such an early hour. "Well sir, it is...about Cardin."

Amber eyes narrowed a hair, the only sign of the tension Ozpin was now feeling. It was too subtle for any of JNPR to pick up on, but it was there nonetheless. "Oh is it now? Please, do go on Mr Arc."

"This...morning, Pyrrha and I saw him when we were...heading to Grimm Studies. He said...something a bit...cryptic, and the way he said it...worried me. I was...wondering if you knew about...anything which could cause that?"

Those amber orbs turned to the red-haired warrior next to the blond, and she nodded. "It's true, sir. He told Jaune that he hoped he was enjoying his time here, and spoke about how anything can happen in our world. It felt like a very thinly veiled threat, or perhaps gloating. It has made me decidedly nervous."

The headmaster brought one hand up to this face, cupping his chin while his eyes closed. It was all for show...after all, he knew perfectly well what Cardin was so pleased about. But if Jaune became an active component in the game he was now playing, his work would suddenly become far more difficult.

The main goal for the next four years was to get Jaune through Beacon as a trained Huntsman. If they could accomplish that, then his status as a defender of the people would provide a shield against political interference. That shield would undoubtedly grow exponentially over time, as the blond's reputation grew - Ozpin had no doubt that in a few years, Jaune's name would be known across the four kingdoms as a force for good. For now however, the blond had to be protected from that side of their world – and that meant keeping him away from it.

"I'm afraid I know of no such thing. It is entirely possible that young Winchester is trying to play mind games, or that he thinks he knows something which gives him leverage. Regardless, I will keep a closer eye on him."

Opening his eyes, Ozpin allowed them to roam across the four youths standing before him. "Still, as Peter is so fond of saying, stay vigilant. Should he in fact try something, you must be ready for it. Between yourselves and RWBY, you have a great deal of power – but if you are not prepared, that power may become impotent."

 _That should do it._ The headmaster could see the resolution spreading across JNPR's faces; they had decided for themselves that they were under threat, and they had turned their focus onto anticipating that threat. _With their focus elsewhere, the risk of Jaune stumbling onto this battlefield is reduced._

The Huntsman didn't feel the slightest bit sorry for pointing an armed-and-ready JNPR/RWBY combo at Cardin Winchester.

* * *

"I won't need an umbrella to eat with you guys, right?" Yang's greeting emanated from her seat, which Jaune was currently approaching. He settled into the empty space beside it, Pyrrha sitting on his other side. That left Ren and Nora free to complete the standard four-by-two formation which RWBY and JNPR had begun assuming automatically during mealtimes.

"I...believe that there will be no further...food-related...competitions today." The brawler, who had been leaning slightly away from her fellow blonde, relaxed.

"Well that's good. I'm going to have a job getting your blood out of my clothes later, I don't need to be worrying about mustard as well." Jaune shook his head, swallowing a mouthful of sandwich before offering a reply.

"Do not worry, Yang. Your clothes will be...perfectly fine. It will only be your...pride that is...damaged." The brawler growled at her fellow blonde, who gave her a manic smile in return.

"Enough! I'm calling time out!" The high-tension glare being held by lilac and blue eyes was suddenly broken, as a uniformed obstacle interposed itself. "Yang, you're moving to my seat. I'll sit next to Jaune, so we can all eat in peace."

The older sister frowned up at her sibling...but after a moment, she looked between the little reaper and the blond leader beside her. A grin formed, and she stood up. "Sure sis, I'll move. I have my shot at him later tonight, so he's all yours for now."

Yang shifted a seat over, letting Ruby take her place as their trays shuffled around. Once the change-over was complete, the brunette leader went back to eating. _Stupid Yang...why did she have to say that? Now it probably looks like I had an ulterior motive..._

 _Didn't you?_ Oh no, now the part of her brain which had been reading too much into things had a voice. _After all, don't you feel pretty happy about it being_ you _sitting beside Jaune instead of Yang?_ Of course she did, she wanted to eat in peace.

 _But that's not all, is it?_ _Oh, shut up!_ Unbeknownst to Ruby, a frown creased her forehead while she held an internal argument. Jaune did notice, and he felt his fingers twitch.

 _That's...probably a bad idea. It would distract her from whatever it is, but it might be important. And it might count as making moves._ _He shuddered slightly. He_ _ _really__ _didn't want to get into a fight with Qrow over Ruby._

It took some effort, but the blond managed to bury the urge brought on by a sudden dose of adorable. That effort was almost completely undone when he glanced down again and saw that not only had the frown deepened, the brunette had started nibbling at her food instead of taking large bites from it.

Jaune immediately resorted to drastic action, flaring the aura in his hand subtly, and clenching his fist as best he could. This was a trick his father had used to pull - by upping a small area of his aura to a much higher level, he could form a much more physical barrier there. Since that barrier enveloped his fingers and palm individually, it would press against itself, effectively creating a somewhat malleable space beneath his clenched fingers. Focussing on squeezing it took his mind off the adorable reaper next to him – not quite the use for which the technique was invented, but Jaune felt it was still a worthwhile one.

One case of his aura doing a decent impression of a stress-ball later, Jaune's mind was mostly his own again. _I hope I don't have to fight Ruby...if she makes that face, I don't think I can focus properly._ Of course, it wasn't just her face – it was her eyes as well.

The blond started to eat on autopilot as he turned the now somewhat familiar puzzle over and over in his head. _Looking into her eyes feels really strange – I don't think she feels what I do, since I'm the only one who ever breaks contact..._ So whatever sensation she brought on was unique to him. But in what way?

 _If I want to get anywhere, I have to understand the feeling I keep getting._ This was where having more than three emotions for the past seven years would have been useful. Unless...maybe it wasn't an emotion? If not, then that meant it was some kind of sense feeding him information.

 _Do I have a sixth sense or something?_ Jaune had never discovered something like that during his time in the out-lands, but perhaps there was nothing there to set it off? Well, that was a possibility...but so were thousands of other things, and he had absolutely no way to prove or disprove any of them.

A low moan escaped the blond's throat as his head hung forward, and he let out a long sigh. The exhalation caught Ruby's attention, bringing her focus from the argument going on in her head to the blond next to her. "Jaune? Are you okay?"

Turning his head slightly, Jaune nodded. "I am fine, Ruby. I am...simply trying to solve a...problem." The brunette hummed to herself, while her fellow leader sat straight again.

"Maybe you could tell me about it? I might be able to help." Ruby's voice was hopeful, the little reaper always up for helping a friend. _Jaune in particular..._ That internal voice was beginning to remind her uncomfortably of Yang. Did older sisters have telepathic powers or something?

Jaune seized up a little as she offered. _I can't ask her for help in deciding how I feel when I look into her eyes! I'm_ sure _that's making moves – and it'll embarrass her, which I've been trying to avoid._ "No, it is fine Ruby. It is not very...important."

 _Don't lose your chance!_ "Aw, come on! At least tell me a little?" The little reaper employed her pout, turning its full power loose on her blond friend. _Wait, did I just do what that voice told me? Oh God, maybe Yang really is in my mind!_

The blond leader almost caved under the onslaught presented by that little expression. _She's fighting dirty – but you've dealt with worse than this! Endure!_ "Thank you, Ruby, but I...assure you that it is not...something which will...interest you."

Another low hum from the brunette. Contrary to what June was saying, this was just getting more interesting – but how could she convince her friend to talk about it? Inspiration struck like a lightning bolt. _A perfect idea._

If that part of her brain thought it was a good idea, maybe she shouldn't use it...but it was a bit too late for that. "Well, how about this? If Yang wins tonight, you let me help you. If you win tonight, I owe you a favour."

The blond turned to her, frowning. _Where on Remnant is this coming from?_ "Why are you...offering?" There were quite a few meanings that could be pulled from that question, and the brunette quickly selected one.

"Well you know, you're my best friend and you say you have a problem so I want to help except you tell me it isn't very interesting and that just makes me more interested -"

Jaune held up his hands in surrender as the little reaper broke the Oobleck barrier, his brain panicking as it tried to keep up. "Please stop Ruby! I...accept your offer!"

The brunette blinked in surprise, the red colouration that had spread across her face fading to pink. "Oh, um, great! Just don't go solving that problem before I can help you with it – that's cheating!" Having made her point, Ruby turned to face her sister as if the past two minutes had never happened.

Her fellow leader sat almost dumbstruck, his sandwich completely forgotten. Turning back around to Pyrrha, he found that the red-head's narrowed green eyes were focussed on the younger girl next to him. "Pyrrha, what was that?"

The warrior's gaze switched to her leader, dialling back its intensity as green orbs registered the dazed confusion in their blue counterparts. "I am...not entirely sure, Jaune." she replied. It had been very strange...especially how the little reaper had started blushing after she made the proposal. _What is she thinking...?_

* * *

"That was nice thinking, sis." Yang commented, once Ruby's attention had shifted away from her fellow blonde.

"Huh?" was the eloquent reply, the younger girl still getting her head back in gear.

"You just set it up so you can spend more time with Jaune whether I win or lose. That's pretty smooth, I have to admit." The brawler took a sip from her coffee, leaving her younger sibling time to redden a little at the implications.

"Yaaang, it isn't like that! I just want to help him!" Ruby's cries were plaintive, as was often the case when conversing with Yang.

"Well of course. I mean, you proposed to the guy didn't you? I'd guess that means you're interested in his well-being." The brunette hid her burning face against the table, wrapping her arms around her head to block out the light.

 _I am going to get_ years _of mileage out of this._ The brawler smiled to herself as Ruby rebooted. "Well, don't expect him to be talking that problem over with you _too_ soon after tonight. I've been looking forward to this for days, and there is no way in hell I'm letting him off easy."

Ruby recognised that tone of voice. Her sister was absolutely _pumped_ , a primed and ready weapon with a target in sight. The only thing holding her back was about six hours of classes. She wondered if Jaune knew what he was getting into...

* * *

JNPR and RWBY walked into Professor Goodwitch's combat class that afternoon with the kind of resigned gait normally reserved for funeral marches. The eight sat side-by-side, in more or less the same positions as the day before, letting the swimming mess of historical figures and dates from Oobleck's class settle in their minds.

By now, everyone but Jaune and Nora were quite sure that there was a conspiracy in place. The lessons were more difficult than killing Grimm, between Port's insane ramblings and Oobleck's mach 5 speech. How were they meant to learn anything?!

The hammer-wielder and her leader might have echoed that sentiment, if not for their ability to speak Port. As it was, they simply believed that Doctor Oobleck's existence defined pure evil. Or was at least referenced under it in the dictionary.

As the last student settled into place, the main screen lit up once again. The progress of the previous day was in evidence, with about half of the class having undergone their duels. Jaune's portrait was the rightmost, meaning that he would end up being the last to fight. Ah, well. RWBY, Ren and Nora would all be fighting before him – that should be entertaining.

"Welcome back, class. You already know what we're doing today, so could the next two students please come to the arena." The blond leader didn't recognise the girl who moved down first...but he did recognise her opponent.

Jaune joined WBY in cheering on the brunette reaper, and he could see the younger girl standing taller while they offered their support. The well-wishing was put on hold while the brunette changed, but restarted as soon as she stepped out of the changing room.

As Ruby walked to one side of the arena, Professor Goodwitch stood between her and her opponent. When both were in position, she raised a hand into the air. She then brought it down in a chopping movement, yelling "Begin!" As soon as the professor called out the command, the scythe-wielder was gone in a flurry of rose petals.

* * *

The lavender-haired girl she was facing just barely managed to block the first strike from Crescent Rose using her flail's shaft, but wasn't fast enough to deflect the follow-up. Ruby pulled her scythe's trigger, spinning with the shot's recoil while flipping the weapon in her hands. The massive blade slammed into her opponent's side, lifting her from the ground and tossing her into one of the shields.

The girl managed to stand again, glaring at Ruby with brown eyes. Rapid movements of the girl's wrist sent the spiked sphere on the end of her weapon's chain into a spin, and she charged the smaller figure while maintaining the movement.

Ruby held her ground until her opponent had almost reached her, before levelling Crescent Rose at her and firing. The flail-wielder evaded the attack, lavender follicles parting in the breeze from the projectile's travel, but the recoil carried the reaper from her position until her feet were braced against the shield.

Another shot aided her launch, and the flail's sphere came up to meet her. Unfortunately for Ruby's opponent, the crimson projectile's velocity exceeded her ability to intercept. Crescent Rose's blade caught her around the chest, and RWBY's leader held onto the shaft as she landed in a crouch a short distance beyond her opponent.

That was only the case for maybe a half-second, as the reaper fired her weapon and pulled forward at the same time. While the lavender-haired girl's aura saved her from being bisected, she was lifted from her feet for the second time in as many moments. The Huntress in training collided once again with the arena's shields, and her aura dropped well into the red.

"This match is over! Victory goes to Ruby Rose."

* * *

As the main screen was updated with the new information, a flushed reaper returned to her friends and was promptly buried in praise. Even Weiss told her she had been 'adequate', which was high praise indeed from the Schnee heiress.

Jaune leaned forward so he could converse with his fellow leader, a massive grin on his face. "Very...nicely done, Ruby. Great moves." The smile the brunette offered in return could have lit up the room.

"Thanks, Jaune. That means a lot coming from you." With the words said, Ruby seemed to instantly regret her choice of diction. She pulled her head back out of Jaune's view very quickly, and started to whisper to herself about reading too much into things.

Settling back himself, JNPR's leader took the time between his friends' bouts to think. The puzzle of Ruby's eyes, the possibilities behind Cardin's comments, that day's history class and the upcoming duel with Yang all bounced around in his head. They all settled down whenever one of his friends were up in the arena though.

Weiss, Yang, Ren, Blake and Nora set off into the arena in that order, each of them winning their bouts handily. Nora's opponent had been arguably the most unfortunate, since he'd been a tall young man with a fairly simple two-sword weapon combination. That had stopped him from mounting an effective defense when the hammer-wielder targeted his knees, and that was _definitely_ going to leave a mark – aura or no aura.

Finally, there was only one match left – his own. Jaune stood up just as the preceding bout ended, and was already heading down the stairs when the arena was vacated. He also took the time to cal his locker. His opponent, Enma, was making his way down a few rows across.

The two young men eyed each other as they descended. Enma was about the same height as Jaune, but his black hair and red eyes contrasted with JNPR's leader. There was an excited grin on the student's face, and as the two of them walked into the changing room he broke the silence.

"You're Jaune, right? My name's Enma Blackstone – I guess I'm your opponent." The dark-haired first year chose not to offer a handshake or other physical greeting, instead crossing to his newly-arrived locker and reaching inside.

"It is nice to meet you. I hope that we can...both have fun." Jaune turned around from donning his hoodie to find that his fellow youth was grinning massively.

"Oh, I don't think you need to hope. This is gonna be _awesome!_ Saw what you did in the dining hall the other day – _totally_ amazing. Don't disappoint me, 'kay?" Enma had donned a long dark coat, over a similarly coloured shirt and trousers. He wore hefty boots, the soles seeming to make him taller.

In his right hand the dark-haired youth held a staff which stood as tall as he did, covered in strange carvings. He also had a bandolier slung over his shoulder and across his torso, which housed a large number of multi-coloured vials. _A Dust user._

Jaune hadn't fought one of these before...he could feel a rush coming on, and a manic grin of his own began to form. "That's the last thing you should be afraid of."

It wasn't until the blond had finished swinging Luna Machaera over his back that he realised it had happened again. _My speech levelled out for a moment there...that hasn't happened since before Initiation._ Maybe it had been caused by his anticipation?

Or maybe it was just completely random. He had absolutely no idea, and wondering about it in a fight would be a mistake. So Jaune put it out of his mind, and exited the locker room ready for battle. Enma had taken his position at the furthest end of the arena, and JNPR's leader set his feet in the nearest.

He could hear his friends cheering him on...but he could also hear other voices. A quick glance showed that CRDL had cupped their hands over their mouths and were making noises at him. _What does 'boo' mean?_ That hadn't been in the dictionary...

Shrugging it off, the blond relaxed. His hands hung at his sides, his legs were a middling distance apart, his shoulders were back. He looked for all the world as if nothing could possibly bother him.

Then Glynda shouted "Begin!" and that changed.

* * *

Jaune timed himself mentally as he reached over his shoulder and drew Luna Machaera. With his blade in both hands, he settled into his stance as quickly as possible. According to his mental stopwatch, he had taken just a bit over a second to do that. _Well, it's an improvement. I'm not sure what I expected after one night of training._

Enma was lifting his staff, left hand drawing a vial from his bandolier and slotting it into a hollow chamber. The carvings along the length of metal began to glow a dull red, and at the same time yellow patterns spread out across his dark coat.

 _So that's what Dust infused objects look like..._ Jaune had read about them in Oobleck's book, which had covered the history of Dust's use as a weapon. It looked incredible...maybe he could find some way to use that? After all – _glowing weapons._ Awesome!

Shelving the thoughts for a later time, the blond accelerated forward towards his adversary. Those red eyes widened drastically as he crossed the distance, Jaune's sheer speed surprising his adversary. Only the length of Enma's staff allowing him to intercept the strike intended for his midsection. That length was also used expertly to block off Jaune's attempts at slashes, the lack of speed made up for by there being less distance to travel.

JNPR's leader backed off when he saw a sudden change in Enma's movements, propelling himself into a series of quick, zig-zagging backsteps. The maneuver saved him from the explosion that emanated from the metal staff, its base striking the ground and forming an expanding wave of concussive force and heat.

Jaune had increased the distance between them sufficiently to weather the effects, and he mentally shifted learning how to use Dust to the forefront of his priorities list. That was just _too damn awesome_ to not at least make an effort.

The glow from the staff seemed to have dulled after that, and Jaune took that to mean that it was running low on fuel. _It might not be out, but even if it isn't I think I know how to deal with that move._

Sprinting forward once more, the blond noted that Enma went straight for the area-of-effect burst again. He had probably assumed that Jaune's martial skills revolved around close-quarters combat. He wasn't wrong...but he wasn't right in his assumption that the same attack would work twice.

Putting on his best turn of speed for the remaining distance between him and his opponent, JNPR's leader flickered out of sight and reappeared directly behind the Dust user. The staff let loose with an explosion just a moment later, the devastating power of the move rippling outwards...and leaving a small area around its origin unaffected. To be viable, the move had to leave the space around its user unharmed...and if the enemy happened to be right behind that user, they could exploit that safe area.

Dark red eyes widened massively when the blue orbs they had been tracking vanished, and Enma felt his stomach sink as the only possible explanation occurred to dark-haired first year leapt forward, spinning in mid-air to point his staff at his previous position. The yellow Dust worked into his combat outfit lightened him considerably, and his supernatural agility should be enough to buy him a moment...

Or it would have, against any other first year. Instead, the Dust user had tried to outmaneuver Jaune Arc – and that was a poor decision indeed. He was already gone when Enma pointed his staff back along his flight path, and a whispering of steel on air was all the warning the red-eyed youth received before his body started to bend backwards around a sudden impact.

Jaune had positioned himself along Enma's trajectory less than a second after the the young man's muscles had tensed to launch him forward. He'd had enough time to set up a variation of his most devastating attack that way, crouching down on one knee with Luna Machaera's reverse edge turned to the sky. As the Dust user flew overhead, the blond rose explosively – the act put all the force of his legs, arms and back into the blow, and concentrated it all along the fine but blunt edge of his weapon's spine.

The sound of air rushing to fill the gap left by Enma's upward passage was akin to a rocket taking off, and the young man crashed into the building's ceiling after spinning around once. The reinforced material cracked in all directions, and powdered ceiling drifted down from where the Dust user was now trapped on his back in an imprint of his body.

The class looked silently up at where the darkly-clothed young man was currently letting loose a barely audible groan, then to the main screen. In one hit, Jaune had left barely one percent of his opponent's aura remaining. A moment later, the shields went down as Professor Goodwitch strode forward.

"This match is over! Victory goes to Jaune Arc."

* * *

Professor Goodwitch levitated Enma down from the ceiling, and he lay down on the arena floor taking deep breaths. "Your foresight in wearing Dust-reinforced clothing has most definitely paid off, Blackstone. There are no breaks or fractures - you weren't even cut. The bruising will be quite severe, but once your aura recharges that will be gone in a day or two."

The blonde Huntress gave her professional assessment quickly and concisely, and her student nodded his thanks. "Knew that would come in handy one day. Hey, is Jaune still here?" Green eyes moved from red to a spot outside Enma's field of view, and their owner tilted her head a couple of times.

Footsteps crossed to them, and a moment later Jaune's visage appeared above Enma's head. He looked confused, so Enma decided to just skip straight to the point. Wincing a bit, he stretched his arm fully upward. "That was a good match, Jaune. This'll be a fun memory one day – just as soon as the bruises go."

The smile on the Dust user's face indicated that he wasn't fully serious, and a matching grin quickly made its way to Jaune's own visage. Grasping the offered hand, the blond shook it. "I...enjoyed our match, Enma. Let me know if you...ever want...another one."

Standing offer made, JNPR's leader returned to his friends as Enma let his hand fall back to his side. _I'll hold you to that, Jaune._

"Well class, that is both the end of the period and the end of the preliminaries. We will carry on next time, for now, class dismissed."

Jaune had quickly become very accustomed to spending his time in Training Room Six. Walking in alongside his team, the scale of the place didn't hold the same impact as before. Of course, there was a far more impactful presence weighing on his mind at the moment.

"Well Charming, I hope you wrote your will. If not, I'm giving all your stuff to Ruby when you die." Yang was almost skipping with glee as she entered with RWBY, and she made straight for the same arena Jaune and Coco had used two days before.

Her fellow blonde sighed to himself, looking back over his friends. There were mixed looks of sympathy and support there...but as his eyes passed over a certain brunette, he couldn't help but think of his younger friend in that rabbit-patterned 'onesie'.

The mental image that conjured stuck like glue, and an idea was born in the recesses of his mind. Still, thinking wasn't very important at the moment. It was the work of a moment to unsling Luna Machaera from his back, and he held the belt out to his partner. "Pyrrha, keep this for me?"

The red-head took the weapon carefully, giving her leader an odd look. "Jaune, are you really going to fight her with Malleus?" The blue-eyed maniac nodded cheerfully, and exasperated green eyes closed as Pyrrha sighed.

"Well, if that's what you want. Just remember what Yatsuhashi taught you." Jaune squeezed his partner's shoulder much as she often did for him, offering her a smile.

"I will...remember, Pyrrha." Moving away from his partner, he climbed into the arena even as Yang activated Ember Celica.

In response, he pumped his left arm. Malleus Accudo assumed its gauntlet form, and he chambered a Dust round from his hoodie's pocket with a distinct click. "Charming, every time I think I'm as hyped for this as possible you find new buttons to push."

Jaune's grin was easily visible from across the arena, and his voice carried just as much. "I am...learning from the best. Are you...really so...eager to start? This will not take...Xiao Long."

All movement in the room ground to a halt for a moment.

Yang was utterly inscrutable, with not a single thought or emotion registering on her face. RWB all looked distinctly gobsmacked. Ren and Pyrrha were both rubbing the bridges of their noses, and Nora started shaking in place.

Then she began to laugh. Lowly at first, but it quickly becoming an unstoppable outpouring of mirth. Jaune looked to his team mate in confusion, not really understanding her response. _I thought I would experiment with puns because people find them funny...but I don't think mine was_ that _funny._

"First you take my hair colour. Then you take my choice of weapon. Then you take my little sister...and now you take my bad jokes!" Yang's voice was a lesson in melodrama, as she pointed one finger straight at her opponent.

Though he could hear Ruby refuting her sister's statement in the background, the leader decided to roll with it. Jaune smiled madly, pointing his own hand in response. "Soon I will...become the new Yang Xiao Long!"

Yang's own smile was just as manic, and she punched one fist into her palm as blue planes of light shimmered into existence around them. "You want a piece of me? Come take it!"

Jaune accepted the invitation.

* * *

His favoured tactic of running headlong into the enemy wasn't practical against someone like Yang. Much like Coco, she could shred an approaching target before it even reached her. Of course, she didn't have Coco's weakness – since she just had to point her arm instead of a massive gun, he couldn't outrun her aim.

But he _could_ outmaneuver it. Jaune raced forward only a few steps at a time, before sidestepping to put himself on a new trajectory. Explosive Dust rounds passed through the spaces he was evacuating, detonating behind him as Yang fired shot after shot at the blurring figure. The zig-zagging increased the time it took Jaune to reach his opponent, and that gave the brawler time to re-set her stance for close combat.

As Jaune closed to arm's length, she swung into action. Her first flurry of blows all passed mere inches from his skin, a combination of instinct and intellect feeding instructions to Jaune's body as each strike began. He twisted his body and carefully modified his footing, the end result being that all of his fellow blonde's punches met nothing but air.

He could try to tire her out, simply keep evading her strikes until she began to flag...but that would just be boring. He and Yang were doing this for _fun –_ and possibly elder sibling rights, he wasn't sure. But one way or another, this wasn't a place for strategy. He needed some kind of offensive tactic...

He found one as Yang went for a leg-sweep, following a particularly extensive combo that had forced him to change his footing often. _She thought I'd be recovering from dodging all those attacks._

Unfortunately for the brawler, she had underestimated Jaune's ability to retain and regain balance. It had been a life or death skill during the past seven years, and now it made itself known. He hopped into the air, placing his arms on the crouched brawler's shoulders. With a quick contortion of his body and a pull, he flipped himself over her head so he landed behind her.

Not taking the time to look, he drove his left arm backwards with the elbow extended. The bone sank into something which then moved away, and he immediately rolled forwards and regained his feet. He turned to face Yang just in time to see her rushing him, having already recovered from the elbow strike.

There was a haymaker en-route for his face, and JNPR's leader decided to implement one of the moves Yatsuhashi had taught him. He set his feet, raising his gauntlet into the strike's path. His right hand was pressed to the weapon's opposite side, and the full weight of his body was put behind leaning into the blow. When it impacted, the combined force of the strike and ensuing detonation sent Jaune sliding back an inch...but he remained standing, even as the aftershocks rang through his body.

With Yang's fist still pressed against Malleus, Jaune grabbed her wrist with his other hand and spun so his back was to the brawler. Taking a step back to set his shoulder against her and _heaving_ with his right hand, the male blond flipped his female counterpart over his shoulder and onto the ground.

That left him free to point his gauntlet at her and fire. Unfortunately for him, Yang was no stranger to grapples and throws – she had already recovered, and rolled away before he had fully pressed the trigger. Now she was on her feet, and Jaune's ranged capabilities were momentarily disabled.

Yang charged, another maelstrom of blows sliding through the air around Jaune. Every strike was controlled, with little telegraphing and almost no wasted effort. Even a martial-arts novice like JNPR's leader could tell that much. Still, he was able to dance his way through the storm while he thought of something new.

Once he had an idea, the blue-eyed combatant waited for his moment. It came when one of Yang's blows went for his torso, the brawler trying to compensate for his speed by making him move further to dodge. As the strike went past, Jaune crouched down and swung his right foot sideways.

His fellow blonde tried to hop over the strike, but that had been what he was aiming for. His leg still caught her feet, twisting Yang in the air so that she was almost horizontal but still facing him. She made to use Ember Celica to adjust her course, but Jaune executed his idea first.

Standing from his crouch, he drew back both his arms and drove his fists simultaneously into Yang's midsection. Hanging in space as she was, the blow was less powerful than it might have been...but it still sent the air from her lungs as a blonde bullet flashed across the arena and impacted on a shield. Ember Celica discharged a moment before the impact, reducing the force – but it still took Yang a moment or two to recover as she took deep breaths.

She stood to face Jaune, whose manic grin matched the fire in his eyes. _He's enjoying himself just as much as I am...oh, I am so going all out!_ Firing both of Ember Celica's gauntlets, Yang rocketed back to her opponent. He slipped away from her outstretched fist by a hair, and the brawler immediately set her feet down to segue into a turn.

The force of the spin went behind another blow, which Jaune allowed to pass between his arm and torso. Yang could feel his strength as the boy squeezed his arm to his side, effectively trapping one of Yang's fists. _Finally – it's taken forever for him to make a mistake!_

Instead of trying to pull her fist away, Yang drove it further into his hold by pushing forward with an assist from Ember Celica's left gauntlet. That left her fellow blonde just barely enough time to get his own gauntlet into a defensive position before Yang collided bodily with him, disrupting his hold.

Whipping her arm out of his captivity, the brawler managed to get her left arm around Jaune's neck from behind. For a moment, they might have been siblings – an older sister, leaning on her brother as they grinned like loons. It didn't last though.

Yang's left foot made its way in front of Jaune's legs, and she tried to swipe them out from under him. For a moment, it seemed like she wouldn't manage – the young man was simply too strong for her to shift him. _All-out it is._

Yang's blonde mane erupted into yellow flames, her eyes shifting from lilac to crimson as her strength skyrocketed. The sudden exponential rise in power caught her friend by surprise, and his feet left the ground as his fellow blonde suddenly put all her strength and weight onto the back of his neck in a forward shove.

Jaune's entire body underwent a near-instantaneous flip on the y-axis, and his head hit the ground with enough force to crack the concrete. Dust rose in a small cloud as the material fractured, and Yang felt a moment of satisfaction – _I'm the first person at Beacon to get a proper hit on him!_ \- until something crashed into the back of her head.

As she began to tilt forwards, the brawler caught sight of the offending object. As his head had gone down, Jaune's legs had risen – and by pressing his hands on to the ground, he had been able to spin on his head and kick her.

Caught by surprise, Yang was sent into a forward roll that fetched up against the nearest shield. Getting up to her feet dizzily, she looked back at her opponent – and saw a cloud of dust in the process of scattering. _Oh shi-_

She never got to finish her thought, as Jaune took advantage of her incomplete stance and momentary distraction to drive Malleus Accudo into her midsection – almost exactly as he had done with Coco. With a solid surface behind her, the entirety of the strike's power passed through the brawler...and by _God_ she felt it.

The force and positioning of the blow caused Yang's legs to reflexively rise from the floor while her torso went forwards, her body folding around the gauntlet as all the air left her lungs. Jaune's strength kept her pressed against the shield, not allowing her to fall down...and a moment later, a low hum preceded an equally powerful blow in the same place.

 _Maybe I should have...held off on the Semblance..._ It was the only coherent thought in her head, the shock of the double impact sending her brain for a loop. As her aura dropped and her focus shattered, Yang felt her Semblance deactivating. The flames from her hair died away, as lilac once again spread across her irides.

Malleus Accudo had been withdrawn from her stomach, but gravity didn't get a chance to claim the now unsupported brawler. Instead, she found herself slumped over a solid shoulder as the sound of mechanisms could be heard nearby.

With his opponent slung over one shoulder, Jaune got to his feet. Malleus had been reformed into its bracer form, and the shields were vanishing as Ren manipulated the controls. The blonde still standing made his way back to the arena's edge, even as Yang managed to spare some of her just-reclaimed breath for a sigh.

"I guess you win this time, Charming."

* * *

Jaune hopped down from the raised circle with his fellow blonde over one shoulder, and immediately found a pair of worried silver eyes looking up at him. "Are you two okay? Please let both of you be okay, if one of you is injured then that means that one of you hurt the other and then I don't know if I'm supposed to be angry or sad and which one of you is meant to get which and it's all really confusing..."

Ruby took a deep breath, and her fellow leader scrambled for a way to stop her continuing and break eye contact. An idea struck, and he wrapped his left arm around her shoulder to pull her into a side-hug. "I am...perfectly fine, Ruby. Yang is just tired and...bitter."

"I heard that!" The brawler's voice was a bit wheezy, but it was full of laughter as her fellow blonde grinned. The reaper currently pressed against his side was quickly turning red, but instead of staying true to form, she actually wrapped her arms around the older youth.

"Well at least you're both okay. Just please don't do this again for a while? Fun or not, I don't like seeing it." Blue eyes blinked in surprise at the brown-and-red hair which was currently all they could see of Ruby. Jaune felt something twinge as he looked down at the younger girl, and his left hand tousled the short locks without a thought for the consequences.

"Sorry, Ruby. I...suppose I should give Yang time to...rebuild her pride." The brawler who Jaune had been carrying suddenly shifted, and her fellow blonde took the cue to place her back on her feet.

Ruby stepped away as he shifted, hiding her face by wrapping her elder sister in a hug as soon as it was possible. Yang took a moment to absent-mindedly place a hand on the younger girl's head, but her attention was on Jaune. " _My_ pride? Who was it that ate dirt in there, eh Charming?"

With a wave of his hand, Jaune acknowledged her point. "Yes, you...got me good, Yang. Your...Semblance was a real...surprise." Extending his hand to the brawler, lilac eyes considered the gesture for a moment. They then ignored it completely, dragging the brunette reaper currently wrapped around Yang's waist along into the middle of a bone-crushing hug.

"That was the most fun I've had in _ages._ Thanks, Jaune – just don't expect me to hold back next time." Chuckling from inside the embrace, JNPR's leader patted his friend on the back a few times.

"I...would not have it any other way." Both sisters pulled away from Jaune a moment later, Ruby's face glowing.

Jaune had hugged her...and she'd _hugged him back_. Then he'd gone and tousled her hair again...she was amazed her blush hadn't burned a hole in his hoodie. She thought that giving Yang a hug would calm her down – and it had for, for a moment. But then she'd been sandwiched between her sister and Jaune. They were both warm, and the space between them had felt so very _right_...

The brunette felt another meltdown coming on, and she was fairly sure she'd keel over if Jaune as much as _smiled_ at her right now. "Well I'm just gonna go...do some maintenance work on Crescent Rose I'll see you back in the dorm guys bye!"

RWBY's leader disappeared in her signature rush of air and petals, leaving two blondes to look after her. One's expression was curious, with a raised eyebrow being implied if not actually shown. The other's bore a grin which was one part mischievous and one part pleased.

The grin wavered a little as the massive ache brought on by Jaune's attack reared its head again, and a moment later Yang felt her arm being draped over a pair of shoulders. Blake had moved to stand beside her partner, taking some of the weight away from her fatigued frame. "Come on, Yang. We'll get you to bed, and you can just rest."

Amber eyes turned to blue, as the brawler resting on Blake's shoulder mixed a sigh and a groan. "I don't suppose you could bring some food by our dorm later? Yang might want to eat later, and I sincerely doubt that Ruby will remember her dinner."

Jaune nodded. "That will not be a...problem, Blake. Make sure she rests...properly." The secret faunus acknowledged the the request with a nod and an upward twist of her lips, then set off for the dorms.

Weiss followed their progress with her eyes for a moment, before turning her gaze to Jaune. She offered a nod and a smile of her own, then followed on, calling "Goodnight, Jaune." Over her shoulder as she went.

"That was great Jaune! You made a really good crater, and that last move was _awesome!_ I mean, it might not be as awesome as my hammer, but it was still really good!" Nora seemed to vibrate into existence beside the blond leader, and he mirrored her ecstatic expression.

"Thank you, Nora. It felt...perfect, I...understand why you like...fighting people so much. It is an...amazing feeling!" Their conversation was cut short by Ren's sudden appearance behind his partner, as he tapped her on the shoulder, apparently cueing her to step back and let Jaune's partner fill the space.

"Jaune, how are you doing?" Pyrrha's green eyes met his own after quickly running over his frame, and there was a tinge of worry in her voice that he still found some pleasure in hearing.

He smiled back at her, trying his best to convince her without words of the same thing he then said aloud. "I am doing well, Pyrrha."

"You're sure? She hit you really hard – and this is the first time I've seen you take any kind of attack that strong." Behind Pyrrha, Ren and Nora's expressions indicated they were thinking along similar lines. Patting his partner on the shoulder, Jaune reclaimed Luna Machaera from her right hand.

"I have been hit...much harder, guys. Yang is very...strong, but that attack was not...enough to hurt me badly." Reassurances given, JNPR's leader headed off to the changing rooms while calling his locker once again.

Once inside he moved over to a sink, letting out a long breath. Pulling back some of his hair, he could see the blood that had been drawn in his collision with the floor. At least the cut had healed almost instantly - if he'd come down visibly bloody, it might have upset the others. It took a couple of minutes of washing and drying to remove the crimson liquid, but he was eventually sure that every trace of the injury was gone.

He finished changing and emerged not long after finishing with the sink, having re-donned his uniform shirt and trousers. The tie, sweater and blazer were over his arm, and his combat outfit had been folded to provide a platform for Luna Machaera and Malleus Accudo on his hand.

Storing his weapons and outfit in his locker, Jaune sent it back to the armoury with the tap of a key. As he did so, he absently recalled the agreement he'd made with Ruby. Apparently she owed him a favour now. That would be great...if he had any idea what to do with it.

 _I guess I'll just have to think about it later._ "Shall we head to...dinner? There is still...some time left, I...believe."

Three nods sustained the motion, and the four team mates made their way out of the training room in search of sustenance. Watching two people beat each other senseless was a great way to work up an appetite.

* * *

Across Vale, Qrow Branwen ducked out of the latest in a series of seedy bars. His normal outfit had been exchange for nondescript, worn clothing that fit in with those around him. His hair was a mess too, while his eyes were red (well – moreso than usual) and his walk staggered in the fashion of a true drunkard.

Behind the facade, his mind was turning a puzzle over and over. Several of Ozpin's contacts had heard mutterings from the criminal underworld – something had been stirring up the hornet's nest, but they were apparently weathering the storm.

More than that, they were winning the conflict. This person, 'The Queen', had already managed to quietly and systematically remove several crime bosses and take control of their enterprises. The balance of power that had been so carefully maintained on both sides of the law was shifting dangerously, and the dark Huntsman couldn't help but be impressed.

This person had managed to do a whole lot of damage right under their noses – that spoke of some pretty incredible skill. They were a dangerous adversary, and he'd bet his cloak that it was this Queen who was funding Winchester. _Arguably the most easily manipulated council member, and one who has a direct link to Beacon. He's an ideal mark._

Melyn had been right to stay out of this. This was no longer a job for politicians – the time for words had long since passed.

Now it was time for action.

* * *

Ozpin disconnected the call. Qrow had given him his report, and the headmaster had listened in silence as the dark Huntsman repeated what he had learned from their informants.

The scale of their opponent's influence wasn't yet clear, but it was wound tightly around Vale's underworld. The grey-haired Huntsman's hopes of cutting this problem off at the root had been stumped – tearing it out now would set off a chain reaction that could cause untold damage to the city.

Instead, they would have to start moving from the outside in. Eliminate the Queen's footholds and weaken their grip, then follow the trail back to its source. Ozpin had already sent out messages to several choice Huntsmen and Huntresses, who would be arriving soon.

Between them and Qrow, the headmaster was sure that they could roll up this Queen's operation fairly quickly. With that backing force gone, Winchester should find himself at a distinct political disadvantage. Cue revelation of illegal financial support being fed to a Council member, and the investigation could be re-purposed to focus inward.

Thus, Jaune and the several other students whose histories should remain confidential would be safe. At the same time, Winchester would be discredited and most likely lose his position. They'd have to keep an eye on him of course – a man with nothing to lose was much like a cornered animal, and just as dangerous to ignore. But that would be an easy enough task to accomplish, and the blond young man need never know he was in danger.

Looking out over Vale, Ozpin wished he could convince himself it was going to be that simple.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **EDIT: So I might have jumped the gun a little saying the review system was fixed...instead, all the reviews written between the 13th and 18th of May became viewable. New reviews are STILL not showing up - so I'll have to keep asking for anyone with a review longer than 2 paragraphs to PM it to me so I can respond. I apologise for the inconvenience...but at least the problem was kind of fixed. For a little while.**

 **So, here's the latest chapter. Yes, Yang (kinda of) succeeded where Coco failed. Why? It was because Jaune decided to engage her in the kind of combat she has been training with most of her life. Though Jaune's speed makes him an incredibly difficult opponent for pretty much anyone, sheer physical prowess can be negated with enough skill – and Yang most definitely has that skill. Thus, he made a rookie mistake and Yang capitalised on that – he also had no idea what Yang's Semblance was, so she had the element of surprise.**

 **Well, that's explained. Now, let's move on to talking about pairings** ** _again._**

 **Since last chapter I've added White Knight (Jaune x Weiss) and Knightshade (Jaune x Blake) to the poll by request. The poll has also attracted over 150 people, and the runnings currently look like this:**

 **Lancaster**

 **Arkos**

 **Firewall**

 **Strut and Stumble**

 **Knightshade**

 **White Knight**

 **You can see actual figures via my profile page if you're interested – link to the poll's at the top. I'm thinking the cut-off date will be this coming Sunday, so make sure to get your votes in before then!**

 **For all the many,** ** _many_** **people who have asked about Harems/Multi-Pairings, I just want to make my stance clear:**

 **My personal preferences do** ** _not_** **include Harems or Multi-Pairings. I understand that many of my readers may feel differently, but it's just my opinion. Since my writing is largely natural, flowing based on my preferences, opinions and experiences, trying to include something in the story which doesn't fit with my preferences runs a real risk of just bringing the whole thing crashing down. So, there will** ** _not_** **be a Harem or Multi-Pairing. I apologise if you were hoping otherwise, but for the sake of the story, I can't do it.**

 **However, it has been a very popular request/query – so I've come to a decision. I've already made it clear that there will be additional chapters following the story's completion that will show 'What If' style endings, one for each Jaune pairing that was suggested for the poll. So, for your sakes, there** ** _will_** **be a Harem chapter after the story is over. Fair warning though – I'll be doing it my way.**

 **Well, that's more or less it for today. Thank you, to the nearly 28,000 people who have read the story this month. Thanks as well to the 462 followers, and to the 360 favourites – and that's not even considering the people who have chosen to favourite** ** _me_** **as an author, instead. The support I've received (179 reviews!) has been mind-blowing, and I can't help but wonder what I did to earn such a great group of people.**

 **EDIT: As of the twenty-second of May, 2016, I am launching a parallel story to Gloria. This one will simply be titled Gloria Dei est in Tenebris: Omakes, and will be exactly what it says on the tin. It will be IN NO WAY canon to the story, and will revolve around the kind of crack humour that characterises omakes in general. Check it out if you want to see my take on humour.**

 **I hope you enjoyed reading this even partially as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you have any comments or criticism, please leave a review and I'll be sure to get back to you. Enjoy your day!**

 **EDIT 18.09.2016: Changed some character interactions, corrected some grammar and spelling.**


	10. X - Parabellum, Soror

An outpouring of warmth and light heralded the arrival of morning, spilling out across Vale. There were few to witness it, the early hour confining most of the populace to their dreams...but to those individuals who found themselves able, basking in the first rays of the day washed away most any negativity.

It was no different for Jaune Arc, as he sat cross legged on the roof of his dorm building. In his lap was an open book, and in his hand was a simple pen. Both were, for the moment, forgotten – the blonde's attention was fully devoted to the gentle energy caressing his skin. _No matter what happens...there will always be the sunrise._

Still, as entrancing as daybreak may be, he should probably start work on today's continuation of his as-yet-untitled memoirs. Should he even bother naming it? _I did name my weapons._ That was a point; he _had_ developed a habit of naming inanimate objects. How big a difference was there between a book and a sword anyway?

 _Probably not much less than the difference between a book and a 'mechashifting armoured gauntlet with integrated experimental weapons technology'._ Okay, so there was a slight gap. He hadn't even got around to looking up some of the words Coco had used to describe Malleus, had he?

Well, no matter what they were, to him at least, they were all equally dangerous. This book perhaps even more so. As the scratch of metal on paper floated away on the breeze, a part of Jaune's mind considered the information he was imparting to the tome.

He watched the events roll past in his mind, felt his breathing quicken just by entertaining those thoughts. The dull ache in his chest was stronger than it had been in years...and so he continued. The out-lands had taught him a lot of things; how to survive, how to trek, how to fight, how to hold yourself together – and, more than anything else, how to dodge. But even before his wandering days, he had known one very simple thing.

Things always get worse before they get better.

It was by that logic that he assumed the pain was a good sign. The best medicines tasted horrid, the healthiest foods were flavourless (if you were lucky), a journey would always present more challenges than the destination. So a technique to take the edge off memories would make them more vivid before they dimmed. Perfectly sound reasoning, in his opinion.

Still, he didn't like the ache. He could deal with physical pain; even the marks left on him by the Grimm had been minimal compared to earning his first scars. But pain of the mind, pain of the soul? The only cure he had found for those was time.

Time that, he reminded himself, he now had in spades. _Four years...I have four whole years here at Beacon. After that, I have my whole lifetime to be a Huntsman._ What a wonderful thing it was to have a future...once upon a time, he would never have thought he'd miss having one. _I guess the best lessons are painful too._

Lost in his own recollections and thoughts, the blonde was reminded of the need to wake his team by the buzzing of the scroll in his pocket almost an hour later. With a little help from Pyrrha, he had learned how to set alarms on it. Since his sense of time still a bit loose, the device had been an absolute Godsend.

 _Honestly, at this point I'll need the Professor to give me another book. I'm having trouble remembering all the favours I owe now..._ He was neck-deep in debt, by his reckoning. He owed a lot to each and every member of his inner circle – though some more than others.

He owed Yang, for letting him stay friends with Ruby after revealing his past. He owed the brunette herself, for giving him a chance in the first place. He owed Pyrrha for putting her faith in him and his ability as a partner. He could go on and on, without even bringing in all that Glynda, Ozpin and Qrow had done for him.

 _Well,_ Jaune thought to himself as he stood, _if I ever get bored with hunting, I can just devote a few years to paying off my debts._ For now though, he had another day of classes to look forward to. He couldn't help but smile at the prospect, even as he hopped over the edge of the roof and expertly landed on the ledge outside JNPR's window.

He had left the window open a crack, allowing him to push it wider and re-enter the dorm in complete silence. Shutting the portal behind him, the blonde took a minute to once again conceal his latest pastime.

 _At least the others are still asleep. It's good to know everyone's getting the rest they need._

* * *

Glynda Goodwitch stared at the Headmaster's Office with an expression that stood on the fence between horror and amazement.

She was standing in the elevator, despite almost a minute having passed since it had reached its destination. This was due less to the shock she was feeling, and more to the fact that she couldn't advance.

The entryway was blocked by paper.

It was stacked surprisingly neatly in brick-like formations, stretching the width and height of the elevator door. Finally deciding that whatever lay beyond probably deserved her attention, the Huntress raised her riding crop to the obstruction.

A nebulous purple light began to suffuse the space between the papers, and with a low rumble she attempted to move them sideways. That came to a halt quickly, as she realised the space on either side of the wall was also occupied. _It's wall to wall...?_

Another attempt to move it, this time upward, also failed. _Don't tell me it's stacked to the ceiling?!_ Now finding herself somewhere between abject awe and panicked worry, the blonde attempted to simply move the paper forwards.

There was heavy resistance...but apparently also some clear space, as with an application of effort the massive stacks began to move forward across the glass floor. Following in their wake, Glynda found herself striding through a lengthening corridor of paper. It towered above her, pressed against the glass floors and ceiling.

The sheer density of the stuff was almost completely blocking out the sound of ticking gears, bringing the room closer to silence than it had been in years. That quiet was disrupted as, with a distinct _thud,_ her attempts to move the pile in front of her further forward became fruitless. Apparently the paper was stacked more than half the length of the room.

Closing her eyes to better interpret what her Semblance was telling her, the Huntress was able to discern that there was empty space on either side of her paper glacier. Splitting the stacks down the middle, she was able to open another corridor straight to Ozpin's desk...where her worst fears were confirmed.

Slumped over the wrought metal and glass construction was the headmaster himself, unmoving. Picking up the pace as she closed the distance between them, Glynda's fingers immediately went to the man's neck. A long moment passed...but a pulse rose beneath her digits, and the blonde sighed heavily. _Alive, at least._

As she moved behind the desk and gently pulled the sleeping headmaster back into a sitting position, one sheet of paper remained behind on the desk. He had apparently fallen asleep before he had finished filling it in, and Glynda scanned the half-filled page for a moment.

 _This is one of our current student files...why on Remnant was he doing this? We've been computerizing these things for the past decade, if not more._ Then she remembered what Ozpin had said to her the night before.

 _"Glynda, I'm going to take measures to prevent digital infiltration of our information. I want you to implement defence measures for more physical threats. Also, if you would, prepare the Sub-Sub Library to receive new documentation...I have a feeling we're going to need more shelves."_

Understanding dawned, and a few taps of the seemingly average glass surface of Ozpin's desk served to confirm her decisions. _He translated almost all the academy's digital student records to hard-copy, then deleted the originals..._

Turning fresh eyes on the mountains of paper behind her, Glynda couldn't help but laugh to herself. _Well, he's certainly succeeded in preventing anyone getting their hands on the information electronically._ The sound of her voice didn't even get a twitch out of the veteran Huntsman, who was simply breathing slowly in the sitting position she had arranged for him.

As the Huntress went to move from behind the desk, she felt something underfoot and cast her eyes in that direction. It was a pen – a simple biro, completely empty of ink. Bending down to pick it up, green eyes looked underneath the desk and promptly forgot about the spent calligraphic device at her fingertips.

The floor beneath Ozpin's desk was a veritable forest of used pens, dozens of them having simply been discarded when their ink ran dry. A long sigh escaped the veteran Huntress, even as all of the empty pens leapt from the ground and congregated into a cylindrical bundle that floated by her shoulder. _This has to be the most novel use of a Semblance I've ever seen._

There was certainly no way that the headmaster had managed all this in one night without resorting to his own, rather unique power. This amount of paperwork was just... _inhuman._

"You've been holding out on me, Ozpin." She gently chastised the sleeping Huntsman, who gave absolutely no sign that he had heard her. Shaking her head, Glynda eyed the mountain of transcribed paperwork with a professional eye.

 _Right. Just like in Vacuo, then._ Gesturing behind her, the Huntress carefully removed one of the large windows which formed the walls of Ozpin's office through the relatively simple task of disconnecting the molecular bonds around the edges. Using her power to prevent the sudden loss of structural integrity in the room from scattering her boss's hard work to the winds due to a difference in pressure, she raised her riding crop and closed her eyes.

To an outside observer, a purple aura would seem to flare out of Ozpin's windows, as Glynda managed to stretch her power over all the paperwork at once. With a forward swing of her riding crop, the papers rushed by her in a massive – but _organised_ – flurry, forming a stable platform that she then walked out onto.

Standing on the unsupported documents the blonde spared a moment to replace and re-fuse the window panel she had removed before beginning the descent to ground level. _I'm glad I got around to making those extra shelves...still, at least there's no one around at this hour to see this._

As the storeys rolled by, Glynda set a mental notice to cancel all the headmaster's appointments for the day. He'd earned his rest – besides, it wasn't like he was very involved in Beacon's day-to-day operations anyway. That was her department after all; taking care of Ozpin while Ozpin took care of everyone else.

The ghost of a smile pulled at the corners of her mouth.

* * *

"Jauney! You know what day it is?" Nora's awakening this particular morning proved to be a change of pace from the past few days; instead of simply bouncing off her bed and heading to the shower, she had fixed her leader with sparking eyes and a massive grin.

"It is...Friday, I think?" the blonde mused in return, wondering where his friend was going with this.

"Exactly! It's Friday, which means that tomorrow is the weekend!" Jaune suddenly realised why the hammer-wielder was so excited.

"Oh! Then we are...going Grimm riding...tomorrow!"

"Exactly!" Nora's giddiness was clear to see, and it was apparently infectious. JNPR's leader found a massive grin spreading across his own face, and he rubbed his hands together.

He stopped a moment later, a thought passing across his mind. "But we have not...asked RWBY to join us yet." This observation didn't seem to impact the hammer-wielder's mood at all. If anything, she seemed to smile wider.

"But Ruby owes you a favour now doesn't she?" Jaune blinked, an expression of incredulity spreading across his visage. _Was Nora just...cunning?_

Apparently interpreting the look on her leader's face, Nora giggled happily. "Renny's really good at this stuff. Since we've been together, but not together-together, for so long I picked up a few things."

Idly, the blonde wondered if it had worked the other way around too. _Has Ren picked up some of Nora's habits in their time together?_ It was hard to believe; the quiet, mild-mannered martial artist was almost a complete contrast to his partner.

Shaking his head to make way for more thoughts, Jaune considered her proposal. It was almost perfect, really. He had absolutely no idea else he could call on that favour for, and having a friend by indebted to him didn't sit right. This way, Ruby should get something out of the deal as well.

"That is...perfect, Nora. I will ask at...breakfast." Still smiling, the shorter girl wrapped her friend in a quick hug before skipping over to her partner. Pyrrha was showering still, taking longer than usual. She had been more difficult to wake up this morning as well...

After yesterday's duel, she had been keeping a surreptitious eye on her partner. He had noticed of course – knowing when you were being observed was another key survival skill, after all. But the fact that she had thought observing him was necessary made him wonder. _Does she suspect that I am hiding an injury of some kind?_

That must be it. Lailah hadn't been anywhere near the surface during that fight, so his attitude wouldn't have changed at all. He also _had_ kind of concealed an injury from her. An inconsequential cut true, but he had still hidden it. So she was right to be suspicious?

Well, she'd probably come to the decision that he was fine if her left her be for a while. Nothing to worry about.

With that decision made, Jaune pulled out his scroll. He was still learning how to use the thing, but at least he had been making headway. He had discovered, for example, that it was capable of messaging other students. Of course, he lived either with or next door to his entire social circle...

Somewhat more useful was the fact that the tournament progress from Glynda's class was available for viewing. A quick look had shown him that of the sixty four students in their class, thirty two now made up the base of the pyramid. Considering how long the previous matches had taken, they'd probably finish this level of the pyramid during that afternoon's period.

Even more useful than that display, however, were the student profiles. By tapping on one of the portraits, Pyrrha had shown Jaune that a person's combat record could be viewed. She had explained it was being a way of tracking your accomplishments, both for students themselves and the teaching staff.

There were two categories; official and unofficial. Apparently Scrolls recorded combat data throughout any duel they were present in, and would sync up with Beacon's mainframe, any nearby duelling equipment and other Scrolls. If you were in a classroom with a teacher during a registered period when duelling, it was considered official. If your match didn't fit the criteria, it was unofficial.

Thus, Jaune's record showed one official bout and two unofficials. His duels with Enma, Coco and Yang. Three wins so far – an unbroken record. It was pretty cool, and Ren had been pleased to discover its existence. According to the martial artist, there was no more potent weapon in the world than information. His leader wasn't sure he agreed. But he also acknowledged the fact that such things were rather far from his own skill set, so what did he know?

You could view fellow students' official matches, but only your own unofficial ones. So Jaune had decided to take the time and look up his next opponent. Pressing his finger to the point over their portrait, a mostly empty screen with some basic text and an image appeared.

Apparently the girl's name was Kuro Fowl, and she had won her first match in the class with two thirds of her aura remaining. Her picture showed a pale young woman, her chestnut hair falling to her shoulders while hazel eyes regarded the camera smugly.

 _At least none of us are going up against each other yet._ Jaune thought to himself, returning the device to his pocket. Members of JNPR and RWBY were yet to be pitted against one another...but if all of them made it to the third tier, that would change. The blonde wondered who he'd get as a sparring partner. Well, no matter who his opponent was, one thing was guaranteed.

He was going to have _fun._

* * *

Jaune had fiddled with his scroll long enough for his team to get themselves presentable, and soon enough the quartet made their way to the dining hall. Pyrrha's slow morning had allowed RWBY to claim their meals first, and so by the time JNPR settled down beside them they were almost half done.

Jaune dug into the massive stack of pancakes he had put together for himself, Nora doing the same across the table. Ren and Pyrrha's choice of breakfast tended to vary from day to day – but their partners took great pride in the consistency of their diet. Well, great pride and great taste.

"None of us got matched up for Goodwitch's class today." Yang sounded disappointed, her tone reinforced by the way her head rested in one upturned palm. "I mean, come on! Who else is going to get my heart pumping?"

Jaune couldn't help but agree. Awesome as Enma's combat style had been, overcoming it had been fairly simple. He'd gone down in one hit, too. There was very little excitement in it... Apparently his thoughts showed on his face, as Pyrrha fixed him with a slightly disapproving look.

"That's a bit unfair, isn't it? Just deciding that the eight of us are the only people in our year who can challenge each other?" The brawler further up the table caught the champion's words, turning her attention her way.

"Well champ, I call 'em like I see 'em – and right now? I see a pretty boring beat-down in my future, followed by some actual _excitement_ come next wednesday." Yang's reference to forward planning tripped her fellow blonde's memory, and he leaned backwards in his seat to look at the back of Ruby's head.

"Ruby?" He succeeded in getting her attention, the little reaper mimicking his posture to make conversing easier.

"What is it Jaune?"

"You...remember that...favour you say you...owe me?" Jaune was being careful not to _actually_ look his brunette friend in the eye, instead choosing to focus on a point more level with her eyebrows. Still, he could see the slight flush that reddened her complexion.

"Um, yeah, I do. You have an idea?" The blonde nodded, noticing as he did that Yang's bored posture had suddenly perked up.

"I was...hoping to...invite you and the others on an...expedition this...weekend." Confusion and interest spread across the reaper's face at the same time, as her sister gave up all pretense of subtle observation and just fixed her fellow blonde with a skeptical look.

"An expedition?" The elder sister's voice matched her expression, as Ruby's expression seemed to request an explanation.

"Yes, an...expedition. We, " here Jaune gestured to himself and JNPR, "are going to the...Emerald Forest over the...weekend. We were...wondering if you would like to...accompany us."

A low hum came from the brunette, but she was smiling. "It _has_ been a long week...I think we could have some fun!" Silver eyes drifted over their team, who each considered it themselves.

Yang spoke first. "I'm in! I seriously need to take my mind off these lessons – I'm just itching to kill something." Blowing out a long breath at her team mate's justification, Weiss cut in.

"Well, so long as everything is done properly, it could prove to be an informative use of our time. Combat Class is all well and good, but we should get more experience with actual Grimm." Three pairs of eyes turned to RWBY's quietest member.

Three quickly became seven, as JNPR trained their gazes on Blake as well. She twitched slightly in the face of the optical onslaught, but kept her voice steady. "I don't have an issue with it."

"Yes! This is going to be _awesome_!" Nora's cheerful tones were unmistakeable, and she grabbed Ren for a hug to express her good mood. The martial artist simply sighed, riding out the storm as he was very nearly lifted from his seat.

"Then we are all...decided. Shall we meet at the...cliffs in the...morning?" Another quick exchange of glances between RWBY, and a nod from the leader to confirm.

"Sure, we'll meet you there." Grinning widely, Jaune turned his attention back to his breakfast. A day out with all his friends, a chance to learn something new, and even more chances to kill Grimm. It was going to be a _great_ weekend.

* * *

"...thus, through the judicious application of tenacity and oil, I smote the beast from within! Its corpse drifted away around me, and I strode from its ruined frame and into the welcoming arms of the villagers. From that day on, I have carried a supply of body oil wherever I go – just in case of such an emergency."

Looking up from his note-taking, Jaune once again found that his favourite Professor's classes served two purposes. Not only did he educate them on the Grimm and how to deal with them, he was able to observe a wide range of expressions among his classmates.

RWBY, for example, were currently showcasing what he had come to believe was 'abject horror'. He wasn't quite sure why – the fact that Pyrrha wore almost the exact same expression only served to heighten his confusion. Ren wasn't much help, being asleep as usual...but Nora was trying (and very nearly failing) to contain an outpouring of mirth as she shook in place.

"That is very nearly the end of our time together...well class, make use of this weekend to enjoy your youth. Why, when I was a lad, the weekend was a time for gratuitous-" The bell went, cutting off the venerable Professor before he could really get going.

"Perhaps another time. Stay vigilant!" With his usual dismissal, the class set about rousing their teams and making a mad dash for the classroom door. While Ren was dragged from his slumber, Jaune turned concerned eyes on his partner.

"Pyrrha, what is the...problem?" The red-head turned her face slowly to the blonde, her neck rotating at fixed increments – like a puppet shifting from one groove to another.

"It's...nothing. Absolutely nothing. In fact, it's so inconsequential, I'm not going to think about it. I will, in fact, forget it. This entire lesson. Forgotten. Never happened." Pyrrha's voice was wavering between its usual tones and something an octave higher.

She was shaking in place, much like Nora had been...except looking at her, the action seemed more reminiscent of someone holding in a scream than a laugh. Her eyes were somewhat manic, and they latched onto their blue counterparts like a sailor to a lifeline. "It didn't happen, did it Jaune? I mean, that lesson with Professor Port – it was just a horrible nightmare, wasn't it?"

JNPR's leader had absolutely no idea how to deal with this. He was not equipped to deal with crazy people – so maybe he could just use his normal method of dealing with upset women? _It's not like I can make things worse._

Pulling his partner's head into his shoulder, Jaune gave her a hug. "You are...completely right, Pyrrha." _Physical contact, followed by complete and total subservience. Don't fail me now._

The warrior's shuddering finally came to a halt, and a moment later she shifted to cue his letting her go. The manic look was gone now, although a slightly reddened face had taken its place. "Eh hem. Yes. Of course. Let's...let's just go to lunch, shall we?"

Taking great care not to actually touch Jaune on her way past, Pyrrha strode from the room without even once glancing in the direction of Professor Port. Her partner followed, sparing a wave for his Professor on the way out. It was returned jovially, that strange pseudo-smile once again broadcast across the room.

It took a second of jogging to catch the red-haired warrior, and Jaune settled into a stride beside her. She didn't speak on the way to the dining hall, nor when she collected her meal. As she settled into position beside her leader at a table, she simply began to eat mechanically without a word.

Almost the exact same behaviour was observable from RWBY. Weiss was just staring at her meal, eyes dull and uncomprehending. Yang was picking at hers, an action that was almost perfectly mimicked by Ruby – the reaper was actually trying to cut air with her knife, not taking notice that her fillets were a good inch to the left.

Blake was the least affected. But her hands were shaking as she read her book, the intensity in her gaze probably evaporating the ink on the pages. Utterly unable to comprehend the reason behind their behaviour, Jaune turned to Ren for help.

"Ren, why is...everyone acting so...strangely?" The martial artist fixed his primary (only) male friend with a solemn look, gesturing that he should move around the table. Even more confused now, the blonde complied and took up position next to the black-haired teen.

Another gesture had him leaning down, so that Ren could basically whisper in his ear without fear of anyone overhearing. "It's the mental image from the Professor's story. Nora told me about it, and I'm not surprised that they're reacting this way. It was just too much for their minds to handle. Give them time; it'll make its way out of their systems eventually."

"But it does not make...sense. What...mental image is...causing this...problem?" Looking from side to side, as if worried that breathing words to someone a centimetre away wasn't secure enough, the martial artist gave his answer.

"Jaune, no female mind below the age of fifty is capable of processing a semi-nude and oily Professor Port." The blonde didn't get it – according to the Professor, covering oneself in oil was a necessary preparation before throwing oneself into a Grimm's mouth. Doing it in as few clothes as possible was simply common sense; after wearing something into a Grimm's stomach, who would ever don it again?

"So this is a...woman thing?" he asked, hoping to get confirmation of what he now suspected.

A nod from Ren settled the leader, and he let out a long breath. "Why did you not...just say so?" He knew how to deal with women's things. As soon as those words were uttered, all males in the vicinity were to immediately retreat to the requisite safe distance and begin gathering high-calorie foodstuffs, fuzzy animals or particularly soft fabrics. At least, that was what his father had taught him.

Unless, and this had been important, there were tears. If the girl in question was crying, the entire situation changed; depending on how close the male was to the female, they were faced with multiple options.

If they were a close friend or family, immediate physical proximity should be sought in order to provide some form of companionship. If they were a friend but not very close, the male should immediately acquire an individual of either gender who _is_ a close friend or family, and inform them of the situation. If they were complete strangers, then the male should offer to fulfil either to carry out either of these actions. Should the female refuse entirely, they should (if possible) hang around for a while until the female is deemed to be of sufficient emotional stability to leave alone.

 _Come to think of it, Dad really knew a lot about these things._ He'd had entire books on the subject, although those had been a closely guarded secret. When asked why, his father had simply told him that the knowledge within was his only hope of survival in the face of the overwhelming femininity of his homestead.

The truth had come out later, when his mother had come across them during a particularly vigorous spring cleaning. Apparently the books were 'chauvinistic, degrading and written by individuals who obviously had no idea what they were talking about.' In her words, anyway. Oddly though, none of his family had ever complained about the techniques being employed...

Still, he hadn't needed this knowledge for a long time. He couldn't help but smile as it all came back to him, the countless memories between then and now overwhelmed by the strength of his recollections. _The ache is worth it, to have these memories._

Though he didn't notice, much of the table had turned their attention to the blonde leader. Or more accurately, to the smile that seemed to contain far less happiness than any such expression should.

* * *

As History was verbally catapulted through the air around JNPR, Jaune found that he was having trouble paying attention to Doctor Oobleck. He knew that he had to; after all, he knew next to nothing about the subject, and he was still reading too slowly to keep up properly in his own time. Unfortunately though, his focus was a bit fragile.

He shouldn't have thought about his family so much at lunch. The ache was taking its sweet time in fading away, resurrecting other memories as it went. Trying to listen to and remember so many facts while at the same time trying to ignore a maelstrom of experiences was, frankly, beyond him. He could barely deal with one of them at a time, after all.

With a sigh, he noted that the period was almost over in any case. Looking down revealed notes which were far too few and far between to be called useful, and he sighed even more. Pyrrha had been glancing sideways at him for most of the past two hours, though her own note-taking never seemed to suffer for it.

 _I'm probably...what was the expression? Wearing my heart on my sleeve? I'm probably doing that._ It certainly wouldn't surprise him, considering how easily the people around him seemed to pick up on his moods.

Of course, that meant that his partner was probably worried about him. He'd have to try and placate her later, talk her down. None of his friends seemed particularly keen to just let the past stay where it ought to, making a big deal out of it whenever something surfaced.

He knew it was _because_ they were friends that they worried, but he wished they wouldn't. _If I told them I had found a way to deal with my memories, that might help...but they'll want to know what it is, and that would mean telling them about the book._ Yeah, that wasn't happening if Jaune could help it.

The bell went, interrupting the blonde's musings. As he got to his feet, Pyrrha mirrored him almost perfectly. She kept close to him as he started walking too, remaining within arm's length as he made his way toward Glynda's class.

 _Definitely worried._ "Jaune, what's wrong?" That question had been a while in coming, but it was broached slowly and gently.

"I am just...thinking about some...things." So long as he didn't lie, Jaune was fairly sure that he could just defuse this. After all, he was meant to be keeping some things a secret wasn't he? This was just a part of that. Definitely.

Unfortunately, it seemed like it had been entirely ineffective. "You know you're a truly terrible liar, Jaune?"

The blonde acknowledged his partner's observation with a nod, rubbing the back of his head absent-mindedly. "Yes, I...suppose I am. But it is alright, Pyrrha. I am...perfectly fine."

The red-head didn't seem completely convinced, but at least Jaune knew he wasn't lying this time. He would be fine once his thoughts had settled, at least until the next time he wrote in the book. But that was an issue for a future Jaune, not the one of today.

A sigh, and the warrior faced forward again. "If you're sure then."

Thankful that his friend was willing to let him be for now, Jaune remained quiet until they reached Glynda's class. Inside they assumed their usual seating arrangement, a few people trickling in behind them to complete the class.

The Huntress was all business this morning, and the amount of paperwork on her desk had most definitely increased. "With the first round of the placements done, we will be moving on today. The format remains the same, combat continues until aura depletion or either combatant can no longer continue. Can the first pair please make their way down to the stage."

Having opened the period, Professor Goodwitch's paperwork seemed to raise itself off the desk and hover in front of her. Once the students had exited the changing rooms to stand across from one another, she dedicated one eye to them and one to the work in front of her. A pen held itself over the pages, scribbling madly despite there not being anything to support it.

The familiar blue shields appeared, and the Professor called "Begin!"

Thus the class continued, match after match. Even when Jaune himself was called up, his fellow blonde just furiously worked her way through the forms in front of her while refereeing the match. His opponent hadn't been much fun either.

Far from the genial and excited Enma, Kuro Fowl had been scowling and rather rude. She barely said a word to him, simply launching into an offensive with her bladed staff. Her technique was good, and she had tried to block his angles of attack much as Coco had done...but she was definitely no Coco.

He had been able to trap her weapon away from her body using Luna Machaera, his greater strength serving to stop her bringing it back for a guard. One well-placed kick later, Kuro had found herself weaponless and fetched up against a shield seeing stars.

The blonde sighed as he supported his head with one hand. He was fairly sure that the girl's glaring had given him a headache. What had he done wrong? "Hey, cheer up Charming. You're guaranteed at least a couple of good matches after the weekend."

Jaune knew his fellow blonde spoke the truth. The only member of JNPR or RWBY who had yet to fight was Ren, who was...smiling? Looking to the board, the martial artist's leader sought the magenta-eyed man's opponent. A moment later, he understood why Ren was happy.

"Cardin Winchester, Lie Ren, make your way down. If you would be so kind as to hasten your arrival?" The two young men vanished into the changing rooms, the auburn haired giant's eyes locked on the back of Ren's neck.

Jaune found himself worrying about what Cardin might try...but when the two combatants exited a minute later in full combat gear, that small smile was still on Ren's face. If anything, the giant seemed the worse for wear, his scowl even more pronounced than before.

"I wonder what happened in there..." Pyrrha's own pondering statement matched Jaune's train of thought, and the partners cast their eyes sideways toward Nora.

The hammer-wielder giggled happily, eyes dancing as they never left Ren. "Renny's always been good with bullies. A lot of them tried to pick on us before Beacon, but most of them never did it twice."

The blonde leader found himself relaxing when he heard that. So Ren knew what he was doing. In that case, he could just take a leaf out of RWBY's book...now, what did Nora always say? "Break his legs, Ren!"

Pyrrha blew out a long breath as her partner leaned forward enthusiastically, cupping his hands to make his voice heard. He was mirrored almost exactly by the ginger haired girl on her other side, and the two seemed determined to outdo one another in terms of volume.

 _There's no doubt about it. I'm going to need lessons from Ren._ Silently swearing that she would approach her team mate about how to deal with having a partner like Nora, the red-head put a hand on each of her team mates' shoulders and pulled them back a bit. "Perhaps we should let Ren focus on his bout?"

Jaune immediately settled, seeing the wisdom in his partner's words as he recalled the incident in Professor Port's class. Nora just leaned forward again once Pyrrha let go, but she at least stopped calling to her partner.

"Begin!"

* * *

As Glynda called out, Cardin immediately bull-rushed the martial artist in front of him. Mace raised above his head for a powerful stroke, it would undoubtedly be one hell of a hit. If it landed, of course.

As it was, Ren slid to the side as the giant brought his weapon down, then immediately counter-attacked. His right leg snapped up incredibly quickly, then accelerated back toward the ground in an on-the-spot axe kick. His heel impacted just behind Cardin's wrists, the force overbalancing the giant as he tried to keep his grip on his weapon.

As the auburn haired youth stumbled forward, Ren placed his left hand on the back of the other boy's neck. Straightening the limb lifted the martial artist's body off the floor, all his weight transferred to his hand. Rotating his shoulder, Ren positioned himself over Cardin's back.

Pulling his legs in tight, Ren placed the soles of his feet on the back of Cardin's neck in place of his hand. A moment later he kicked off, and Jaune could swear that ripples of magenta light spread out from the point of contact. Certainly it wasn't just Ren's weight in play, as the overbalanced giant was laid out completely with a massive crash.

The martial artist landed softly on his feet, having performed a perfect backflip, and waited to see if his opponent would rise. It took a moment, but the auburn haired youth pushed himself up with a grunt and turned raging eyes on Ren. With a wordless yell, he charged once again. This time he kept the mace close to his own body, ready for a quick strike or a block.

Their wielder still silent, Stormflower appeared in Ren's hands as if by magic. A hail of gunfire immediately lit up the space between the two combatants, largely directed at Cardin's legs. His aura dropped fast and hard, but the mace-wielder's momentum carried him through the onslaught and into close combat range.

As the heavy weapon was brought into a sideways stroke, still powerful even without a wind-up, Ren started moving again. Instead of backstepping, the martial artist stepped forward so he was almost touching Cardin's breastplate. Stormflower's left blade was jammed into its opponent's elbow, causing the arm directing the mace to immediately pull inwards.

Ducking smoothly below the now almost uncontrollable arms, the martial artist slid around Cardin like water until he was standing behind him. Still trying to get his weapon's momentum back under control, the giant wasn't able to react in time. Ren set his right foot in front of his opponents' legs, and his left fist was placed just behind Cardin's neck, the outside of his hand facing the base of his spine.

No sooner had he assumed the stance than the martial artist executed his attack. A sweeping kick destroyed the giant's balance, and then the fist drove itself hard into the back of his head. With no foundation to stand on, and with the impossible force of Ren's blows, Ren's attack did to Cardin much the same thing as Yang's maneuver had done to Jaune.

Aided by the weight of his armour, the auburn giant ate dust for the second time in the past minute or so. This time, Ren didn't wait for him to get up. Both parts of Stormflower were levelled at the back of Cardin's head, and magenta eyes looked inquiringly to Professor Goodwitch.

The blonde paused for a moment, then nodded. "This match is over. Victory goes to Lie Ren."

* * *

As JNPR walked back into their dorm that night, an observer could be forgiven for mistaking who was partnered with who. Ren and Pyrrha were hanging back, speaking peaceably while the red-head occasionally raised an eyebrow or frowned a little.

On the other hand, Jaune and Nora were chattering happily about the various matches they'd seen, the weapons that had been used, and the next day's trip. "Do you think the...cooks will let us have some food...before we go out?"

As the door closed behind their partners, the blonde and the ginger both considered for a moment, one's head tilted sideways and the other cupping her chin. "Hm. They might if we ask...or, there's a way for us to definitely get lunch!"

"What is it?" Two pairs of blue eyes met, and then one of them turned to meet magenta. Ren was standing frozen in front of the doorway, his extensive experience telling him that the potential disaster the next few minutes held was a nightmare in the making.

"Oh Renny~" Trying to step away, Ren found himself with his back up against the solid wood of the door.

His lungs were emptied in an explosive burst as Nora happily crashed into him for a hug, looking up as she held him off the ground. "Renny, could you do me a little favour?"

Looking down at his partner, oldest friend, captor and charge, the martial artist very nearly crumbled. There were only two things she could be asking for. One of them, he was happy to do. The other one would necessitate tying Nora (and probably Jaune) to their respective beds until the danger had passed.

"Maybe." he managed to wheeze, his feet still off the ground.

"Could you make us lunch for tomorrow?" If oxygen hadn't been in such short supply, Ren would have sighed in relief.

 _Door number one then._ "Yes, Nora, I can make lunch. RWBY will have to make their own arrangements though." The hug tightened for a moment, Ren's aura-reinforced ribs groaning in protest, before finally placing her friend back on his feet.

"Thanks Renny~!" The hammer-wielder happily skipped away, her objective accomplished, so that she could change out of her uniform. After taking a minute to repay the oxygen debt Nora had put him in, the martial artist waited on his bed for a chance to do the same.

It took a good ten minutes for JNPR to be prepped for a quiet evening in. Once they were ready however, the four team mates sat on their respective beds to talk. "Alright. If I'm making tomorrow's lunch, I'll need to go down to the kitchens to make it."

With Ren having offered his own circumstances, the others considered them. "Do you mind if I come with you? There are a couple of things I'd like to talk about with you." Pyrrha's request wasn't much of a surprise to the martial artist. She was desperately trying to learn how best to interact with her partner, while at the same time trying to learn how to keep him under control.

"I don't have an issue with it. That is, of course, assuming that our partners will be alright if we leave them be for the evening?" The red-head blanched at the sudden realisation that an evening of learning from Ren would necessitate an evening of leaving her leader and Nora unsupervised. For several hours.

"Of course we'll be fine! We've got a whole day to plan, after all!" The hammer-wielder's massive smile was mirrored by her leader, and both their partners suppressed a shudder.

It was their responsibility to keep the lids on the two storms in their dorm room...but they had something to focus on, so if they were quick it should be fine...shouldn't it? A shared glance between Ren and Pyrrha was the only outward sign of their considerations. _Well, if they're planning tomorrow...it can't possibly be an issue, can it? After all, what can possibly go wrong here?_

Looking back, Pyrrha would decide that she should have known better.

* * *

It had taken PR a while to find the kitchen in the dorms. It had been a fair way off the beaten path, probably because the odds of most students being able to prepare something better than the kitchen staff could produce were basically zero.

Ren was not most students. He had retrieved a few choice packages from his bag before leaving in search of a workplace, the tools of his trade. Pyrrha was curious about what could be contained in the thin wooden boxes, but her thoughts were centred more on her partner than the night's mission.

She went to speak, but was surprised when the martial artist raised a finger to indicate a need for silence. As he pushed through the door marked 'Kitchen', the red-head followed and beheld their situation.

There was roughly twice as much floor space as their dorm room had, with various areas defined by counters and equipment. The three sides of the room which didn't have doors in them hosted one long, unbroken counter in a horseshoe shape. There were also two counters that took up space in the centre of the room, a couple of metres apart.

Ovens, freezers, sinks and cupboards were also placed at regular intervals around the room. The counters in the centre, by comparison, bore multiple cutting boards and a sink each. It was most definitely overkill as far as making lunch for four went, but Ren didn't seem to mind.

The place was well-maintained, with no real signs of disrepair or neglect. It wasn't particularly cared for either – whoever did Beacon's cleaning just did what was necessary and moved on. The martial artist approved; a kitchen was a place of order, but at the same time some allowance had to be made for the chaos that the tasks accomplished within naturally held.

Particularly whenever Nora was involved.

Mentally repressing the various instances of Nora's cooking he'd been forced to devour over the years, Ren laid his tools down carefully on one of the counter islands while he started to pull cupboards open so he could take inventory.

Still standing back near the door, Pyrrha moved further into the room as the martial artist began his search for edibles. In short order he discovered several different kinds of cheese and meat, condiments, fruits, vegetables and bread.

Picking selectively from what was available, the youth's magenta eyes went unfocussed for a moment as he mentally picked apart his materials and reassembled them. It took half a minute, but fairly soon his mind's eye held a plan for the next day's meal.

Still silent, Jaune's partner watched as Ren moved over to his selection of wooden boxes and began to open them by depressing certain parts of their surfaces. When he did so, the warrior could hear small clicking sounds, and then watched as the covers seemed to break apart into segments and slide away to reveal the contents.

The first thing to emerge was a set of knives. With wooden handles that had long since been worn smooth, their age and consistent use was easy to see. The blades were interesting though; their cutting side was a steel so polished it almost looked white in the room's artificial lighting, flashes appearing along the edge as the knife turned in Ren's hand. The spines, however, were black. Pyrrha wondered if that was deliberate, or simply something inherent to the manner in which the knives had been forged. Whichever it was, she'd never seen a blade quite like it.

The second thing to emerge was a variety of carefully compartmentalised and labelled substances, taking forms ranging from leaves to powders. Pyrrha didn't recognise the symbols that had been drawn just below each compartment, but they obviously meant something to Ren as he carefully selected several of what the warrior assumed were spices, sprinkling pinches of them onto squares of paper which had also been retrieved from that box.

The third and final box was somewhat larger than the others. As it opened, the red-head caught a glimpse of something...pink? Then her vision was obscured as the colour seemed to fill her world, and she realised a moment later that whatever had been inside had been removed with a flourish. That had placed what she now recognised as fabric right in front of her, falling down slowly as the air resisted its displacement.

When she had blinked her focus back to the correct distance, Pyrrha beheld her fellow handler. Over his combat uniform was a pink apron, bordered in white with the words 'Please Do Nothing to the Cook' emblazoned on it.

The warrior just stood and stared at her team mate for a long moment. Eventually she managed to drag her eyes from the clothing to meet magenta orbs. No words needed to be exchanged; the situation explained itself with a single world. _Nora._

"Now, Pyrrha." Turning away from the championship warrior so that he could begin combining the various materials which he'd transferred to the kitchen island not hosting his boxes, Ren started up the conversation which served as the secondary reason for this evening excursion.

"You want me to help you get closer to Jaune, right?" The martial artist kept the corner of his eye trained on the girl as he spoke, nothing her reactions. _Slight flush, swallowing her initial response._

"Well, that isn't quite how I'd put it. But yes, I just...I don't know how to act around him. What I'm supposed to do, how I can help. I don't have the first clue about how to support my own partner, and it's... _frustrating._ " The warrior laid one of her hands on the currently unoccupied kitchen island, her fingers pressed against its surface as if she were trying to tear a chunk out of it.

His hands moving on their own, Ren took his time to consider how he should respond. "I know how you feel, Pyrrha. You just can't get his story out of your head, can you? Little things keep bringing your mind right back to it, no matter how much you try to just accept it like he has. Like lunch today."

Not meeting the martial artist's eyes, Jaune's partner nodded mutely. When no response was forthcoming from her team mate, she spoke. "You know, I'm not very good with people. Probably because I've never really had a lot of friends."

"That makes sense. After all, how many of the people who would consider trying to befriend the great Pyrrha Nikos would actually make good friends?" It was a rhetorical question. Ren knew damn well just what greed could do to people, the kind of monsters that could lurk behind charming smiles. He was no stranger to being outside the social norm, either – he was used to being on the outside, a dark planet just out of view. By that analogy, Pyrrha was a sun; she might appear to be part of the system, but in truth she was the furthest from them all.

"The great Pyrrha Nikos." Sorrow and scorn both dripped from the words as Jaune's partner tightened her grip on the table. "Hah. What a joke. I'm a warrior, no more and no less. Maybe it's conceited, or selfish, or perhaps I'm arrogant – but I can't help but wish that I could have lived a life that was truer to that."

The admission didn't come as a massive shock to the cook, but it certainly confirmed his suspicions. Well, he knew what he was dealing with now. "I can forgive you for that, Pyrrha. Any of us could...well, except perhaps Weiss." The red-head couldn't help but grimace slightly at the mention of the Schnee heiress.

"But regardless. I can't just give you step by step instructions on how to get closer to your partner. There's no guide book and no one way of doing things. Mostly, it's all up to you. But I can at least give you a place to start." As his knives flashed in the kitchen light, perfectly straight slashes appearing in the ingredients before him, Ren continued to speak.

"Jaune is a powerful individual – in both character and body, he stands head and shoulders above many of our year. That strength is the result of his being forged in the crucible his life has been for the past seven years." Pyrrha knew most of this already, but she remained silent to let her impromptu councillor say his piece.

"However, unlike most people of his ilk, he hasn't become brittle. Instead of his experiences becoming flaws in his armour, they have become pillars. If the horrors of his past are monsters, then they have most assuredly been slain." The red-head very nearly interrupted at that moment; she wanted to ask how he could possibly know, how he could be so _sure_ that Jaune was truly fine. Before she had a chance however, he was carrying on.

"That's what you need to understand, Pyrrha. Right now, you aren't trying to be his friend. You aren't even really trying to be his partner. You're trying to be his _mother._ " The warrior blanched at the surety in her team mate's voice. He truly believed what he was saying, and that conviction prompted her to summon up the past week's memories in an attempt to prove him wrong.

However, she couldn't. Of all the people in their group, only she had kept any sort of pressure on Jaune to share things with her. No one had even mentioned the expression he'd worn earlier that day – but she had tried to get him to speak about it.

"It's not a bad thing. In most circumstances, it would even be a good thing. But with Jaune? Perhaps he wants a mother figure in his life, but you don't fit that mould, Pyrrha. You're cut from a different cloth."

The red-head's grip on the kitchen island relaxed, and her posture slumped. "I see...so that's why. I've been doing what we all agreed not to do, haven't I?" Ren's magenta eyes still hadn't left their task, as the ambidextrous warrior continued assembling his projects.

"To a minimal degree, yes. If you can see that, then do I really need to tell you what has to change?" Pyrrha remained slumped over for a moment longer, but her grip tightened again. Then she straightened, taking a deep breath as her eyes closed.

When they opened, the chlorophyll green irides seemed clearer than they had in hours. "No, I guess not. He doesn't need me to mother him – so I'll get out of his way...and stand beside him instead." Unseen by the championship warrior, a smile played across Ren's mouth.

"So long as you get it. I have to admit, I've become rather fond of our team leader. The last time someone became a part of my life this quickly was..." He didn't even need to finish the sentence before Pyrrha chuckled behind him.

"Nora, right?"

"Right." Ren's hands finally came to a stop, and he regarded his work with a professional eye. Stepping over to stand beside him, the red-haired warrior observed his craft with what could only be described as reverence.

"Ren...thank you."

Quirking a brow at her, Ren's default dry tones came to the fore. "For the talk or for the sandwiches?"

"Just...thank you."

Smiling to himself once again, the martial artist inclined his head. "Not a problem, Pyrrha. Now, I suggest we package these for tomorrow and return to the dorm. Some part of me is being very emphatic that leaving our partners alone was a bad idea."

* * *

At that moment, Jaune and Nora were both leaning over a massive sheet of paper they had spread out on the floor between them. Pens of various colours and types had been scattered all around, alongside craft materials such as glue and string. If such a situation had come from anyone but Nora Valkyrie, it might have been apt to say a bomb had gone off. As it was, the room better resembled the tail-end of a volcanic eruption in a craft store.

Her leader's contribution was a pair of scissors currently buried nose-first in the wooden floor.

"You know Jauney, that's a really cool way of putting down scissors." Nora took a quick break from the masterpiece that the two had built between them so she could comment on her leader's choice of storage solutions.

"It has...blades, so I...assumed I could...plant it like a sword." The blonde had felt that this was perfectly reasonable logic, but now he was considering his first attempts at using cutlery. Glynda had made a weird face after he stabbed the table, so maybe sticking metal objects through wood wasn't normal?

Well, Nora didn't see anything strange about it, and she was pretty normal. Doubts squashed, Jaune returned to the paper in front of him.

"Do you think we...missed anything?" he asked his fellow artist, who was examining their work with an expert eye.

"It's almost complete...it just needs one last, finishing touch." The two warriors considered for a long moment, eyes closed and brows furrowed. Then, as one, they opened their eyes and locked gazes.

" **Pancake hunt.** " Both spoke at exactly the same time, and moments later the idea had been incorporated into the design. The planners stood, taking a few steps back and standing shoulder-to-mid-torso as they beheld their magnum opus.

"Nora, it is...beautiful."

"I know, Jaune. I know." The blonde couldn't help but be proud of what they had accomplished together. Not so long ago, they had been faced with a massive sheet of paper and some liberated crafting supplies. Now, those miscellaneous components had bowed to the command of their masters, and had created _art._

"This is going to be the best weekend _ever._ "

"Yes it is, Nora. Yes it is."

* * *

 _He was right,_ Pyrrha realised as she stood in the JNPR doorway, _Ren was completely right._ In the relatively short time since she and her team mate had been away, Jaune and Nora had managed to utterly decimate whatever semblance of order the room might have possessed. It seemed that not a square inch of the floor had been spared the occupation of an invading calligraphic implement, and they had even spread to the beds in some cases.

The focus of this cheerful propagation of utter chaos was a massive sheet of paper in the room's centre, which her eyes fell on as they refused to look at the room's other two occupants. It appeared to be an illustration of Beacon and the surrounding Emerald Forest. Or at least, there was a building with a spire. Surrounded by a lot of green.

On top of this green had been added a quite mind-boggling number of what the warrior assumed must be Grimm, judging by the black-and-white colour scheme. They were basically stick figures with pointy bits in odd places, like an Ursa's spikes or a Beowolf's claws. There were also several ribbons of blue (they were literally ribbons glued to the paper) curving through the viridian, marking rivers.

Somehow, in the midst of this cartographer's nightmare, the two had managed to write in times and event names next to unique illustrations. These ranged from... _something_ with four limbs and a head (Pyrrha was utterly incapable of identifying what kind of creature it was meant to be) to a surprisingly well-rendered pancake.

 _Why am I not surprised that she can draw those well...?_ Having finished her visual perusal of the work, the warrior wordlessly stepped aside to admit JNPR's cook. He had re-packed his various boxes, and had been balancing the carefully wrapped and packaged sandwiches on top of them for the walk back.

Now, however, he carefully put his cargo down on his bed before turning his gaze on his partner. Nora and Jaune were standing on the opposite side of the paper, wearing the exact same grin. "I take it this is our plan for tomorrow?"

Both of the 'artists' nodded, their smiles widening. "We've got the whole thing figured out!"

"Nora's...organisational skills are truly...incredible. I did not even...realise how much work...planning was before we began." Jaune did indeed appearing to be suffering from a distinct case of 'Wonder', and Pyrrha couldn't help but think that leaving a rather impressionable young man in close proximity to Nora Valkyrie, without supervision, may have been something of an oversight on her part.

Letting out a long sigh, Ren glanced at his red-haired team mate. She had been about to try and nip this development in the bud...but seeing that look, she remembered the resolution she had come to not long before. She sighed in very similar fashion to her friend, and knelt down beside the picture.

"Well, let's have a look then shall we?" JNR knelt to match her, and Pyrrha glanced at the faces of her team mates. _Not a mother, and not related by blood..._ Green eyes lifted to meet cobalt blue, and a shining smile prompted her own face to express her joy. _But to Jaune we're all family, so I guess I'm a sister now._

* * *

Ozpin's office was fairly crowded that evening. Alongside the headmaster, Qrow and Glynda, there were almost a dozen Huntsmen and Huntresses present. Each one's specialties ran toward the shadier end of the spectrum, with probably enough criminal acts between them to serve several lifetimes behind bars.

But each and every one of them knew that. Knew that and cared little, because they had done it for the people they served, the law cast aside in the pursuit of their goal. These were Vale's shadowy guardians, and they had gathered together at their old headmaster's request.

The man himself was standing with his back to them, collecting his thoughts as he was wont to do. "You've all received the mission briefing from Qrow, and I've given you all the information I can give. But, there is one last thing you should be made aware of before you depart."

As he turned, Ozpin's amber eyes met each of his former students', and not one of them flinched away. "This game has escalated far too quickly. What was originally a threat to a single student has evolved into a situation which threatens several charges under my protection. That in turn was spread from a much larger issue that has taken root in the city under our very noses."

There was an almost inaudible creaking as the headmaster's hand tightened on his cane. "We are being played for fools, and yet we stand to lose far less than those who depend on us if we fail. Obviously our opponent believes we are a force which can be reckoned with."

Even in the strange shadows of the room, cast by rotating gears from the glowing tower above, each and every smile was visible and heart-freezing. "Prove them wrong." His final command issued, Ozpin turned back to looking over Vale as the room emptied. Some left using the elevator, while others had...less conventional methods of vacating the premises.

When all had left but two, Glynda spoke. "Is there nothing more that we can do?"

Shaking his head, the headmaster glanced at the reflections in the glass. Qrow and Glynda stood before his desk, and he knew what they were really asking. "We have done all we can to turn this battle in our favour. For now, we must be reactive. For Jaune's sake, we must keep him safe from this."

 _We must shield him from the world...so we can one day place it on his shoulders._

There were no more smiles in the office that night.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **"Lo and behold, he rises! Like the great phoenix from the ashes of its fall, he doth come forth in a great flame and a raucous call!"**

 **I'm back! I _deeply_ apologise for the delay, but the past month has been rather eventful. The last week in particular, life very much gave me both barrels. I ended up writing in spurts of maybe four hundred words, so getting up to the 10,000 mark proved far more difficult than I initially believed. I can only hope the quality didn't suffer overmuch...**

 **Ah well. Now, I don't doubt that most people have probably already seen this, but the poll has been closed for the past week. A massive thank you to the 246 people who took the time to make their voices heard; another thanks to everyone who left their opinions via review, but unfortunately I can't count those. One way or another though, the results are in, and from last place to first place are thus:**

 **White Knight (Weiss x Jaune): 6 Votes**

 **Knightshade (Blake x Jaune): 19 Votes**

 **Strut and Stumble (Coco x Jaune): 20 Votes**

 **Firewall (Yang x Jaune): 32 Votes**

 **Arkos (Pyrrha x Jaune): 75 Votes**

 **Finally, in first place, the overall winner of the poll:**

 **LANCASTER (RUBY X JAUNE), WITH 94 VOTES!**

 **Once again, a massive thanks to all who voted. The pairing has now been decided, set in stone. However, if you have a pairing you want to see which _doesn't_ involve Jaune, then you can drop that in a review or PM and I'll consider it.**

 **It's been a funky, bumpy ride for the past month. The work of a semi-unconscious writer with too many ideas, terrible formatting and a penchant for using periods too often somehow grew into this. 100,000 words in at chapter 10. That's a long way for thirty days...although most of the story being written between eight o'clock at night and three o'clock in the morning has remained mostly unchanged.  
**

 **But that's just talking about me; that's not even _considering_ how many of you beautiful people have been swinging by. Let's check the stats real quick:**

 **In May, we had** **38,716 views** **and** **13,193 visitors. 549 people are following the story, and 438 people have favourited it. I've received 215 reviews, many of which have been insightful or incredibly gratifying. Over 200 reviews, and** _ **not one flame.**_ **HALLELUJAH!**

 **The story was even added to a community. I've got a real sense of accomplishment at what's begun here, and pride at all of the people willing to stay on this crazy train and see where it goes. Thank you all, and I hope you stick around!**

 **I hope you enjoyed reading this even partially as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you have any comments or criticism, please leave a review and I'll be sure to get back to you. Enjoy your day!**


	11. XI - Shadows of the Day

As he sat atop the Beacon Academy Dorms, transcribing his past one line of careful calligraphy at a time, Jaune found himself the subject of a dichotomy.

His eyes and hand were focused on replicating and chaining the characters which would convey the meaning of his stories to any who perused this book, while his conscious mind bore witness to the events which they now committed to the pages. Sadness and rage were, perhaps, the most common of the feelings raised by those memories – though a whole slew of unidentifiable but unmistakably malevolent emotions lurked behind them.

Yet, on this morning, they were being counteracted by his knowledge of the future. To an observer, it was a thing worthy of being acknowledged to have occurred; the negativity of days past was being balanced out by the joy of days yet to come. It was a delicate assembly, subject to collapse at the slightest of nudges, and yet it persevered and maintained its equilibrium.

It was beautiful in its fleeting fragility, even if that beauty was tempered by the knowledge that such negativity existed to be countered in the first place.

Indeed, there were many ways in which Jaune's mental state could be described by a practiced wielder of the word, that culmination of the delicate art known to humanity as 'understanding'.

All the boy himself knew was that he had a blinder of a headache, and he sincerely hoped it wouldn't interfere with his day out.

He surprised himself at the speed with which he now wrote; he hadn't been back to it for very long, but he felt like he was going several times more quickly than he had when Glynda first started him on learning the alphabet. Still, he wasn't going to think about it too much – not that morning, in any case.

No, that morning he was anticipating a day of exploration, fun, learning and explosions with his friends. After Pyrrha and Ren had got back to the dorm last night, it had taken Jaune and Nora an hour or so to explain what their plan for the day had actually been. The blond was beginning to believe that conveying meaning to others was a more difficult task than he realised; Professor Port couldn't seem to make his class understand the importance of his teachings, Jaune himself couldn't really understand what Doctor Oobleck was teaching them, and apparently his partner simply couldn't wrap her head around what he'd thought was a perfectly ordinary way to plan a day trip.

 _'Hm. Ozpin's in charge of the school...so he must be good at making people understand his plans. Maybe if I ask him he'll teach me a few things?'_ Resolving to track down the headmaster at some point, perhaps tomorrow, he finally finished the block of writing he'd decided to get done this morning.

Letting go of the memories with no small amount of relief, the teenager got to his feet and stretched in the morning sunlight. A quick hop and silent landing allowed him access to JNPR's dorm via the window, and it was the work of a moment to once again conceal his book.

When he had done so, he looked at the three slumbering members of his team, recalling what Ren had asked of him the night before.

* * *

 _As JNPR prepared for bed, Ren was thinking longingly of how many extra hours he would have to sleep in the next morning. No classes meant no deadline to wake up, and Nora knew better than to wake him early on weekends, so there would be no one to disturb...his...rest..._

 _With a sense of dawning horror, the martial artist realised that there very much was someone who posed a threat to the sanctity of his Saturday morning nap. His leader – his selectively hyperactive, perfectly innocent, up-before-the-crack-of-dawn leader._

 _That realisation was accompanied by a sudden burst of movement from the dark-haired teen, who immediately leapt from his bed and grabbed his friend of five days by the shoulders. Blue eyes turned to him immediately, confusion evident._

 _"Ren? What is it?" Lilac eyes turned dead serious as Ren adopted the single sternest countenance that he had been able to forge in all his years with Nora. Since his partner seemed to have found a soul-sibling in the blond, he could only hope this technique would prove effective._

 _"Jaune. There is something very important I need you to do tomorrow." The confusion in those blue eyes turned to resolve, JNPR's leader already making the call to follow through with his (technically) subordinate's request as well as he was able._

 _"No matter what happens – and I mean no matter what. If Ozpin knocks on the door, if Grimm invade the city, if the pieces of the moon start falling from the sky..." With the situations escalating in severity like that, Jaune felt his own resolve tighten further. Whatever this was, it was important enough to carry out in the face of the world ending. Surely, this must be something worth more than his own life?_

 _"Do not wake me, or Pyrrha, or especially Nora, before nine o'clock tomorrow."_

 _Jaune didn't respond at first, simply processing the request. Then, he nodded, still perfectly serious. "I understand, Ren. I shall...defend your...sleep with my...life." Lilac eyes, at this point rather heavily lidded as the siren song of Morpheus began to drag the last of the martial artist's energy away, hesitated for a moment. Was it a good idea to let this go when he seemed that serious...?_

 _Nah, it'd be fine. After all, how much trouble could the blond possibly cause in the name of not allowing his friends' sleep to be disturbed?_

 _Come his awakening, Lie Ren would look back at that decision, and truly wish that he had been ever so slightly more awake at that moment._

* * *

Well, Jaune had managed to fulfill his teammate's request so far. He had retrieved his weapons from the armoury not long after his team were safely ensconced in slumber, and proceeded to sit outside the door and keep watch through the night, ready to carry out his appointed task at any moment.

As it happened...well, perhaps those were the wrong words to use, because _nothing_ happened. Not a thing stirred throughout the night, and come the next morning, Jaune simply secured the door before moving to the roof via the dorm window in order to make his next entry into the still untitled volume.

Now, as he enjoyed the warm feeling which came with a job well done, he retrieved his scroll from a pocket and checked the time. It was about eight o'clock now – maybe he'd go and wander around for a while and then go eat breakfast. He could more or less remember what each of his teammates normally ate for breakfast now, so he could bring it back for them too.

Course of action decided, the blond once more exited via the window – his preventative measures had made exiting the room via the door a touch more difficult, and he couldn't remove them because someone might wake his friends before their allotted time.

Still, he had done the best he could, and as a result he was fairly sure that there wouldn't be anyone bothering his team in the next hour. So for now, he could do some running – his body, conditioned for years to be on its feet almost twenty-four seven, was getting antsy at the lack of motion he'd been able to enjoy since coming to Beacon.

It was just uncomfortable enough to be bothersome, and so Jaune made the decision to burn off some steam. As he readied himself, his mind began considering the four spars he'd had since coming to the academy. So far, he was convinced that dealing with people was like dealing with Beowolves – the critical areas were about the same, and both species very rarely stayed still in battle.

It wasn't like the Goliaths or Deathstalkers, which were so hard to kill that they tended to just stand in one place and let their opponents come into range of their formidable defences. Neither of them needed to move overly much, after all; Deathstalkers concealed themselves to lie in wait for prey, whilst there were very few things in the world with the power (or lack of brainpower) to actually engage a Goliath in combat.

It helped that actually getting through one of the elephantine monsters' skin took force in excess of what could be delivered by just about anything short of dropping a five storey building on them, but compressed into a much smaller area.

Still, Jaune was just glad they weren't like Nevermores. They had been easy in the wilds, but dealing with flying things was much trickier now. He wasn't accurate enough with Malleus to be sure of hitting them that way, and there wasn't always a handy surface to run up. His leaps were pretty good, but they wouldn't be clearing the Emerald Forest's canopy unassisted any time soon.

While his mind idly considered the information it had gathered from facing off with four opponents of different specialties and skill levels, the blond's body had crouched down, leaning forward as his head went down for a moment.

Then, he pushed off his back foot and _moved_ , taking off in a fluid streak of black, blue and yellow. He kept to Beacon's perimeter, the circular plateau lined with trees, benches, lamp posts and the occasional landing pad. All of these things came together in a streak of colours as he ran, every muscle part of a well-oiled machine as he cut through the air.

It felt good to run free like this, and the blond happily lost himself in the sensation for a while. Then something caught his attention, and he turned to face his right as something drew level with him. Doctor Oobleck had foregone his usual semi-tucked white button-up shirt and yellow tie, coupled with ochre trousers, in favour of forest-green tracksuit bottoms and a white tank-top.

"Ah good morning Jaune! Out enjoying the spring air I see!" JNPR's leader blinked. For some reason, the Doctor seemed to be speaking at something approaching a normal rate.

"Yes, Doctor Oobleck." he replied slowly, not entirely sure what to make of this new development.

"Splendid, splendid! This trail has been a favourite running spot of young huntsmen and huntresses for years – we are running through _history_ , Jaune!" The younger warrior wasn't entirely sure what to make of that statement...but thankfully, he didn't have to reply.

"Now then, shall we make some of our own? I believe the record for completing a circuit is something like six minutes." The thick glasses flashed in the sunlight. "What do you say we try for five?"

It took Jaune a moment to process the words...but then a massive grin spread across his face. "Let us make...history, Doctor Oobleck!"

* * *

Across the campus, Team RWBY found themselves being roused from their slumber at around nine o'clock, bleary heads lifting from pillows as they tried to discern where the cracking and voices they were hearing originated from.

Ruby groaned, pulling her pillow over her head in an attempt to block out the intrusion, wishing to go back to her dream. It had been a good one too; there'd been Uncle Qrow, and pancakes, and Yang, and lots of weapons, and...something else.

She wasn't sure what, but there had _definitely_ been something else in her dream. It had left her with a nice, warm, fuzzy feeling that she decided she didn't appreciate losing. _'Whoever's making that noise better have a good excuse for it, or I am_ so _using the Xiao Long Family Wrestling Techniques on them.'_

Below her, Weiss had found herself rising to wakefulness in a manner far more in keeping with her own persona. That was to say, she tried to blink the (apparently insufficient) sleep from her eyes and peer through the white curtain of her own hair, neck rotating owlishly as she scanned for the cause of the ruckus.

Across the room, in the Bumblebee Bunk(er), Yang was swinging her legs over the side of the furniture, looking very, very calm. So calm, in fact, that if it weren't for the vein twitching over her eye, an observor might have thought she had attained inner peace during the night.

Blake watched her partner drop down from above, padding across to the door. The faunus girl was rather fond of her sleep – upon being woken, she had to stop herself hissing – and was idly hoping that it was something utterly nonsensical and inconsequential, so that the blonde brawler could just kick whoever's ass needed kicking and avenge their morning.

Yang pulled open the portal to the RWBY dorm with gusto befitting Professor Port, placing enough stress on the hinges to get a distinct creaking from the steel, as she immediately beheld the source of the commotion.

JNPR's door appeared to be bending outwards around the middle, as if something were forcing it outwards with great strength. A moment later, the indistinct voices she had heard, now unmuffled by distance and wooden panelling, became clear. "Nora, no, I can just take them out with my Semblance, there's no need to-!"

" _ **Nora...**_ " Some sudden prescience convinced Yang to start backpedalling, and a moment later she found herself entirely satisfied with the decision. " _ **SMASH!**_ "

The wooden portal gave a great creak of dismay as it began to fracture, and not a few moments later the one-woman army on the other side managed to exceed its capacity for damage resistance. It shattered at the centre and the hinges, scattering the hallway (and peppering Yang) with splinters. The brawler had reflexively protected her eyes with her forearms, and once the hailstorm had ceased she dared to look over them.

NPR, its leader conspicuously absent, stood on the other side in various states of disarray. Pyrrha looked very much like she herself had done not moments ago, though with perhaps a touch more full-body shaking in addition to the twitching eyebrow.

Ren managed, without any words needing to be spoken, to convey that it was too damn early for this, he _knew_ this was just going to cause more problems, and...something that made him feel guilty? That was, perhaps, a bit too complicated to convey with contextual clues and body language alone.

Nora, on the other hand... "Oh Renny, can't you just _feel_ that it's going to be a good day? I'm breaking things already, and we haven't even got to the forest yet~!" The orange-haired girl was dancing on the spot, twirling around in her pyjamas looking none the worse for wear. If anything, she looked the complete reverse.

Apparently, the neighbours noticed they were being observed around then. "Umm..." Yang began, looking slowly from Ren to Pyrrha, seeing as Nora was busy doing her own thing. "Do I really even need to ask?"

The two sane...well, san _er_ , members of Team JNPR exchanged glances, before the magenta-eyed martial artist cleared his throat. "Before bed last night, I may have been...ever so slightly loose in my instructions that our leader was not to wake us before nine o'clock."

Multiple possibilities already playing out in her head, the brawler nodded to indicate that he should continue. "Well, it appears that Jaune took the whole thing a step further. He decided that _nothing_ would interrupt our sleep until the appointed time...and thus, he..." Here he tailed off, letting out a long sigh and slumping over slightly in defeat.

Taking pity on her brother in arms, Pyrrha completed the explanation. "He somehow got his hands on several dozen pairs of scissors and drove them through the doorframe and into the door itself, thereby sealing it in place completely."

Lilac eyes blinked, slightly dumbstruck, as they met chlorophyll green. There was...exasperation there, and annoyance...but...

Yang squinted slightly. Yes, Beacon's 'Rookie Ace' had just the tiniest trace of a smile curling her lips, a hidden laugh behind the chastising exterior. The blonde couldn't help but smile herself; that was a very good sign. If the champion could find it in herself to derive entertainment from this, then she was already well on the road to forging a proper bond with her partner.

Then the story itself caught up with her, and the elder Xiao Long/Rose sister's thought process was put on halt as she laughed herself silly. It was almost like something out of Professor Port's stories; utterly ridiculous, seemingly impossible...but somehow, coming from its perpetrator, so _very_ believeable.

By the time she was spent, Ren and Pyrrha were chuckling behind their hands as well, while Nora was standing with her hands on her hips. "I'm so proud of him! To think, I only introduced him to arts and crafts last night and he's already come so far..." The hammer-wielder sniffed, wiping at the corner of her eye with the back of her hand. "They grow up so fast."

Her partner rolled his eyes fondly, ruffling his oldest friend's hair. "Come on Nora, we still need to get changed. I'd expect our leader will return fairly soon – and almost undoubtedly with breakfast."

The motivation of her morning meal sent the rather short girl into overdrive, as she grabbed her usual Huntress uniform (liberated from her locker during the previous day's combat class in preparation for the day's outing), and vanished into the bathroom to change.

Shaking her head, Yang bid her counterparts a temporary farewell with a wave, before closing the door to her dorm room and turning to face her team. They'd all been listening in apparently; Ruby had her head buried in her pillow, stifling her laughter as she went red in the face.

Weiss had her hand over her mouth, but was obviously smiling behind it even as a hint of exasperation much like Pyrrha's seemed to rest in her expression. Blake remained as emotively muffled as ever, but there was a definite quirk to her lips as she set about dressing for the day.

The brawler just shook her head. _'If this is how the day starts, I can only imagine how it's going to end.'_

* * *

About five minutes after NPR claimed their freedom, Jaune returned to the dorms. He was breathing more heavily than normal, there was a definite flush to his appearance, and sweat was gently plastering his flaxxen locks to his forehead.

He'd done it though; he and the Doctor had accelerated until they managed to complete a lap in a time of three minutes and forty-odd seconds, which the green-haired man had proclaimed was most definitely a new record. The blond felt that was a good start to the day, but he was more than ready to dig into some of the breakfast he was carrying back to NPR.

Due to getting a little carried away in his morning run, he was a bit late in his return, meaning his teammates were probably up and about already. As such, he was going under the impression that he could count on them to have already opened the door, allowing him to occupy himself with supporting two heavily-laden trays as he wandered the corridors.

He reached his new home soon enough, finding that the doorway was, in fact, clear – completely clear. There just...wasn't a door there anymore. There were some clumps of wood hanging from twisted hinges, and the place was covered in splinters and similar chunks of organic matter, which gave some clues as to its fate.

Turning sideways to shimmy inside the dorm, Jaune found himself facing his three teammates, dressed for the day, currently occupying their respective beds. Well, Nora was sitting with Ren, but that was basically a fundamental law of the universe. When he wasn't sleeping on it, the martial artist's bed was, technically, 'Ren and Nora's bed', while it defaulted to just 'Ren's Bed' when he was making use of it.

Apparently they'd been waiting for him.

He distributed the foods quickly. To Pyrrha went a bowl containing a substance he believed was composed of various types of fruit and grain, topped liberally with yoghurt and then sprinkled with berries. He'd seen his partner put it together, and she had seemed to enjoy it a lot, so he recreated it for her that morning.

For Ren, he had grabbed a couple of hard-boiled eggs, some kippers and a small bowl of what he called miso soup. While the black-haired youth generally didn't let his emotions run rampant on his face, the blond was fairly certain that he had been happier eating roughly this meal than anything else in the past week.

For himself and Nora...well, there was only ever going to be one outcome there.

Of course, since it _was_ a special day, he'd got them two plates each.

Once everyone had received their sustenance, Jaune joined them in a seated position to eat. A comfortable silence reigned for a little while, the sounds of industrious eating taking the place of any conversation, until Pyrrha momentarily laid down her spoon. "Ah, Jaune? Could we have a little word about this morning?"

Taking the necessary time to chew and swallow his latest bite of the light, fluffy, maple-infused ambrosia (washed down with a swig of the Gods' own brown, heavily caffeinated nectar), the leader of JNPR nodded. "Of course, Pyrrha."

Taking a deep breath, the champion phrased her next sentence as well as she was able. "You see Jaune, the first thing we want to do is say thank you. That you value our wishes and our wellbeing that much feels very good, and it's very kind of you." The man/boy nodded in response, knowing that there was more to come.

"At the same time," the red-head continued, "we would prefer it if, next time, your methods of dealing with ensuring our wellbeing outside of direct endangerment were slightly less..." Here the warrior paused, grasping for words before finding one. "...exuberant."

For a moment, the green-eyed girl thought she had somehow failed to reach her leader's focus. He was looking blankly at her, prompting her to wonder if a word she'd said had reached his ears. A moment later though, he retrieved a thick book, which had been set on a nearby chest of drawers, and began to flick through it rapidly.

He murmured to himself, running fingers down the text on the pages, and Pyrrha caught a glimpse of the title. _The Greater Common Dictionary._ Jaune's partner realised her error immediately; she was trying to be diplomatic, so she automatically went for the flowery and 'sophisticated' diction which had been drilled into her by so many agents, directors, managers and public speakers over her time as the Mistrali Champion.

That is to say, words which wouldn't normally be used except when you're trying to impress whoever they are being used _on._ Obviously, they weren't commonly used vocabulary, and therefore it stood to reason that her leader hadn't yet covered it in his studies.

The warrior clutched her hands in her lap, looking down ever-so-slightly shame-faced. That was an idiotic mistake to make; honestly, what a miserable excuse for a partner she was...

The book snapped shut a few moments later, the blond having apparently gathered all necessary data. "I believe I...understand, Pyrrha. You...wish for me to...'avoid collateral' when...working, yes?"

"Um..." the red-haired woman weighed the pros and cons of leaving him with that particular definition...and then considered the strength, speed, ingenuity, capacity for learning and complete disregard for sane levels of destructive capacity in human beings her captain had displayed. That, of course, lead to her considering just how much 'collateral' he might be responsible for. Hell, he'd driven blunt metal instruments through solid wood with negligible effort – and she didn't even know what his Semblance was yet!

"Yes." she stated, firming up in a split second as images of a wrecked and burning Vale, Jaune proudly dusting his hands and grinning at a job well done as the city collapsed behind him, flitted across her mind. "Avoid collateral. Precisely, Jaune."

The blond grinned. "I will...endeavour to do so, Pyrrha."

Nora pouted ever so slightly. "Aww...but it's always more _fun_ when there's collateral!"

One shake of the head later, Ren's deadpan face turned on his leader as his partner continued to sulk. "It's also more expensive and more attention-grabbing, and all around more troublesome. We already have that Ursa-born musclehead to deal with at the moment, adding the Board of Governors to the list would be...inadvisable."

His dry tones seemed to strike a chord with Jaune. In his head, JNPR's leader was drawing connections based on the word 'Governors'. That had brought up quite a few memories, and several lessons sprang to mind immediately. _Posture. Etiquette. Decorum. Social interaction._

He shook his head a moment later. He hadn't even realised those memories were knocking about; of all the skills to have survived the last seven years, he hadn't expected _those_ to make it. Although he supposed he could see where a Waltz would be useful in dealing with Beowolves...

' _Ah, Beowolves. Grimm. Outing!_ ' "Are RWBY up and...about yet?" he asked his team, getting nods all around.

"We might have woken them up when Nora disintegrated the, most likely somewhat expensive, door that we were so graciously given not ten days ago." his perpetually dry martial-artist friend replied.

That seemed entirely reasonable – Jaune had broken more than his fair share of trees in his time, and his experience told him that wooden things were loud when they broke. "I see. So are they...ready to go out yet?"

Ren considered for a moment. "Well, we talked to them about ten, maybe fifteen minutes ago. They probably haven't had breakfast, though they've probably finished washing up by now."

Pyrrha frowned. "I find that somewhat unlikely, Ren. There is, after all, Yang to think about."

Magenta eyes blinked as the analytical mind behind them re-ran his numbers. "Ah. I see. In that case, they are more likely as yet remaining in their room – though it is possible that the prepared members have made their way down already?"

It was Jaune who shook his head in denial this time. "I do not...think so, Ren. After all, Ruby is their...leader, and she...feels very...strongly about friends."

Ren eyed his leader from under his dark hair, traces of a smile quirking his lips. "Indeed, Rose does seem to have a lot of feelings regarding the people she is close to."

Whatever implications he might have been slipping in were utterly wasted on his peer, who simply nodded in acknowledgement of his friend's acknowledgement. "Well, we...should get ready. Is there...anything we must do now?"

A quick scan around the room by all present revealed that, excluding finding a new door somewhere, their preparations for the day appeared complete. "If we're prepared, I suppose all that's left is to find a way to secure the room."

Pyrrha's observation prompted a round of thinking from all present, though it was, perhaps unsurprisingly, Ren who spoke up first. "I believe that Professor Goodwitch's Semblance allows her to reconstruct fractured or otherwise physically damaged structures. Perhaps we could secure her assistance?"

Jaune perked up at that. "Glynda can help? I will...call her, then." The blond pulled out his Scroll, getting a raised eyebrow and a curious look as he selected his fellow blonde's number from the short list of contacts on the device.

She picked up on the fifth ring. "Good morning, mister Arc. Can I ask what's bothering you?" There was a carefully buried note of worry in the veteran's voice, cloaked from casual detection by the formal language.

"Good morning, Glynda!" the young man replied cheerfully. "My team's door is...broken. Could you help...fix it?"

* * *

On the other end of the line, Beacon's (technically) Deputy Headmaster blinked. "Your door is broken? Was there some form of altercation?" ' _Did something happen with that Winchester child? Perhaps he activated his Semblance?'_

She dismissed that a moment later. If he had used his Semblance, there'd be nothing left of the door to fix. The warrior didn't even bother considering the possibility of him having unleashed his...tenant. If he'd done that, then in all likelihood they wouldn't have had a campus anymore.

There were a few moments of silence on the other end, then a rustling of paper, and then her unofficial charge spoke again. "No Glynda, there was not a...fight. Nora just...opened it before I got back."

 _'That...both answers the question and does not.'_ Feeling a slight throbbing at her temples as she received an answer which both made the situation very clear and evoked yet more questions, the blonde decided to do something which she got the distinct feeling was going to become a habit.

Roll with it.

"Well, I'm not far from the dorms currently. I will arrive in a few minutes; if you would remain there until I arrive, it would be appreciated."

"Okay Glynda!" The good cheer at the thought of seeing one of the people he cared most for at the moment was obvious on the once-wanderer's beaming visage.

 _'Honestly...'_ she thought to herself, closing the connection and striding from her office, _'I never should have let him get into that habit.'_ Though, she supposed, it was kind of nice to have someone using her name like that. These days, only the staff at Beacon, Qrow, and a few of her old Huntsman or Huntress compatriots did that. To the students, most of Vale and the world beyond, she was Huntress Goodwitch, Professor Goodwitch, 'The Emerald Hydra'...

She liked having a few people who treated her as a friend instead of as the stern, aloof, untouchable veteran Huntress she had become by the age of forty. It didn't really hurt that, had her life taken a somewhat lighter twist, she might well have had a child Jaune's age by now...

She clamped down on those thoughts hard. She was over it. She had _been_ over it for a long time now. No point in dredging up the past.

Indeed, far better to focus on the present...where she was technically relegating herself to the role of janitor.

She just couldn't win this morning, could she?

* * *

Roughly half an hour after JNPR watched their door pull itself back together and re-settle on its hinges, they had gathered at the edge of the cliff overlooking the Emerald Forest. RWBY had just joined them, stomachs full and in full combat dress (quite literally, in two cases) for the day. All weapons were present and accounted for, though both Ren and Ruby were sporting backpacks.

The martial artist's contained their meals for the day, so Jaune assumed that his younger friend's accessory served the same purpose. "So," Weiss began, looking out over the greenery as the mid-morning sun climbed higher, "how are we getting down?"

Pyrrha and Ren visibly twitched, just as Jaune and Nora grinned massively. "Do not...worry, Weiss." the blond proclaimed, from his position beside JNPR's shortest member, "we have a plan."

A few moments later, the duo turned to the treeline behind them, Jaune drew Luna Machaera, and they struck. One well-aimed strike with Magnhild was enough to bring down a decently-sized tree, whilst Nora's leader was capable of bringing down his own structure with one too-fast-to-track slice.

While the Schnee heiress began wondering just how much trouble they were going to be in for destroying school property, the two vandals dragged the, probably several hundred kilo, trees into position. They formed a cross, one lying perpendicular atop the other with its canopy pointed toward the forest.

"Ta da!" the hammer-wielder exclaimed, as both she and Jaune stood back and grinned at their handiwork. "Instant launch platform!"

"Launch platform...?" Blake asked, already seeing where this was going.

"Yup!" was the reply she got, "Since we can't use the ones that worked in Initiation, we're making our own!"

At this point, the two engineers were joined by a grinning Yang. "Oh, I see where this is going. Tell you what, how about I go first to test it?"

Her fellow blond nodded happily, and stood back as the brawler placed her feet firmly on the root-end of the tree. Nora moved along to the canopy end, positioning Magnhild for a strike. "Ready..." Yang crouched, "steady..." She fished a pair of sunglasses out of seemingly nowhere, mind already racing with ideas. "Go!"

A good four feet of Dust-forged steel and a solid cube of beyond-military-grade hardware were driven into the end of the tree Yang was not currently occupying with all the force of an artillery strike, and the blonde was off and flying.

JNPR and RWB watched her go, some shading their eyes as the whooping streak of sunlight-gold passed into the canopy and out of sight. A few seconds later, seven pairs of almost inhumanly sensitive ears caught a faint "Nailed it!"

Ruby sighed. "She made it." Then, she turned to Jaune. "Can I go next?" Her sense of adventure coming to the fore, the reaper positioned herself just like her sister before her, and a few seconds later a scarlet comet was careening through the sky, the occasional gunshot testifying to her velocity being kept under control.

That left Weiss and Blake as the logical next to go, but the Heiress took one look at the setup and shook her head. "I'll be fine, thank you." That said, she turned to make her way down using her Glyphs...but something made her turn to look at the blond who was half-responsible for probably the least safe means of propulsion since someone stuck a Dust crystal on the end of a cart and made it explode.

It wasn't obvious, but to a keen observor there was a certain sense of...disappointment about him. A slump to the shoulders, a carefully hidden crease on the forehead. The fencer hesitated for a long moment, her logical, rule-abiding side arguing with the part of her that usually only came out around Winter (and, more recently, her team).

With a slight groan, she turned away from the cliffside and took a position on the see-saw. She didn't say anything, though her eyes dared anyone to comment. That changed, though, when she saw the smile on the young man's face. It lit up the area even more than the rising sun, and she couldn't help but give a small smile in return.

A few seconds later she was in flight, and wondering if she'd _really_ just done that.

Blake watched her teammates go with a certain combination of exasperation, curiosity and resignation. When she saw Weiss actually change her mind about how she was getting down, she very nearly shook her head. Apparently Jaune had made a pretty deep impression on her, if she was willing to go back on an established action to lighten his mood.

Well, it wasn't like Blake could say any different. She prepared for launch just like the others before her, and decided that today was a day for just sitting back and letting herself go with the flow. A Jaune day, in other words.

Ren and Pyrrha followed soon after, leaving Jaune and Nora to make their own way. The two turned to one another, grinning. "Ready, Nora?"

"Of course, Jaune."

The hammer-wielder took her position in the 'launch seat', as her leader made his way to the 'launcher' position. A few moments of concentration recalled the move Ren had used on Cardin in their last Combat Class, and a few seconds later he performed an axe-kick on the tree.

The effect wasn't quite as dramatic as one of Nora's hits, but Jaune's already prodigious strength was emphasised with the application of his aura, so it was as close as to be indistinguishable. Cackling with glee, Nora was catapulted out after their friends, and her blond friend took up his own position where she had been moments before.

It was the focus of five seconds to extend his aura reserves, large by nature and near-monstrous by circumstance and training, into the tree below him to bolster its resistance to harm. The whining of mechanisms and the click of locks falling into place announced the formation of Malleus Accudo's gauntlet, and once loaded, its wielder pointed at the other end of the tree – more or less where Nora had been striking it.

Then he fired, the projectile colliding with the wood.

It occurred to Jaune, as he flew after his friends, that he hadn't actually fired his weapon outside of his sparring matches before now. In there, the shields and the aura of his opponents had been more than sufficient to counteract the force of its travel, which meant he hadn't really got a handle on its true firepower.

Even bolstered by his aura, the tree had only held on for the fraction of a second needed to transfer some of the round's kinetic energy into it and catapult Jaune into the air, before the organic material gave way and the tree's canopy area exploded into splinters, while a sizable crater formed in the ground where it had been lying.

'I can't wait to see what that does to an Ursa.' he thought to himself, sharp eyes picking out where most of the flyers had landed and were congregating. He angled himself so the wind brought him in that direction, getting him reasonably close, and then began scanning for a landing strategy.

A few moments later, he found one...and a malicious grin spread across his face. 'Now then, what was it that Minerva always called that move...oh, yeah!'

" **DYNAMIC** -"

* * *

It is a fact of life that Grimm do not have names. This is not just a side-effect of animalistic creatures not being assigned 'names' per-say, the exceptions being those named by humans – it is also a side effect of having no soul.

No soul means no life, and no life means no sense of self, and no sense of self means nothing to distinguish something from anything else. As a result, the particular Ursa on which the focus currently lies did not have a name, nor indeed anything to define its existence beyond a physical form and a bundle of instincts to kill anything with a soul and sentience.

Of course, when a six-foot-tall bundle of steel-cable muscles, heavy weaponry, semi-mystical forcefield-esque energies and a serious penchant for not listening to what common sense said were meant to be human limitations fell on it from the sky, it didn't even have that anymore.

" **-ENTRY!** "

Jaune Arc (technically) née Vasilias had arrived in the Emerald Forest. Again.

And this time, it was personal.

* * *

The blond warrior stood up from the rapidly-evaporating mess that used to be an Ursa, cracking his back. That had been surprisingly effective; he'd barely had to utilise his aura to negate the impact of his landing. Apparently the creatures of Grimm actually made good pillows.

Suddenly, the vast number of Grimm-themed fluffy toys made a lot more sense in his eyes.

Those same eyes now scanned the area, and acting in harmony with the warrior's ears, quickly located the other seven members of the expedition. Twenty seconds' jogging allowed him to reach them, and the ever-so-slight apprehension present in several of their stances disappeared.

"Ah, Jaune. Good to see you made it safely." Pyrrha, who had spoken, smiled at her partner and got a smile in return. A moment later, said partner turned to look at Nora.

"That is...one already, Nora." Apparently horror-stricken, the hammer-wielder grabbed her captain by the lapels (he knelt down so she could do so with ease) and started shaking him back and forth.

"Jaune, that's cheating! You were supposed to wait until we were together before starting the party!" The blond, who looked entirely unphased by being rocked back and forth, tilted his head sideways.

"You did not...tell me that, Nora." Apparently coming to this realisation herself, the orange-haired girl stopped shaking her leader, and instead clapped her hands to her cheeks.

"Oh no, I didn't did I? It's my fault!" She fell to her knees, looking to the heavens. "I beat myself at my own game!"

The six figures surrounding the little drama looked at one another, not quite sure what to think. Apparently, Jaune picked up on their confusion. "I...landed on an Ursa, so I am...ahead in the...score for...today."

"Score?" Weiss asked, not quite getting it although Ruby and Yang had already figured it out, Pyrrha and Ren knew in advance, and Blake was busy peering into the surrounding undergrowth.

"Yup!" As if nothing had ever happened, Nora shifted from being on her knees to standing with her arm around Jaune's shoulder, the intervening movement barely seeming to take place. "Jauney and I are having a competition. Whoever's killed the most Grimm at the end of the day is the other's pancake servant for the week!"

The Heiress turned that over in her mind. "But wait, doesn't Jaune already bring you pancakes?"

The hammer-wielder looked at her oddly. "A pancake servant doesn't bring someone pancakes, Cream. That would make the name redundant!"

Weiss stared at the slightly shorter girl for a moment, almost going cross-eyed as she tried to decide which question she wanted to ask first. When she decided that she would forgo 'Do you actually know what redundant means?', and 'Then what does a pancake servant do?' in favour of, "Why am I cream?!", Nora was already skipping away into the forest, Jaune on her heels and their respective partners following soon after.

"C'mon, Weiss-icle!" Yang called cheerily. "We don't want to fall behind, do we?" With a sound somewhere between a growl and a muffled scream, the white-haired girl began to chase after the brawler, who was jogging away merrily to follow her compatriots.

That left Ruby and Blake behind, the leader having noticed her ninja's silence. "Blake?" she queried, turning the name into an all-purpose question rooted in 'what'.

"It's..." the secret faunus cast her eyes around once more, her ears twitching unseen beneath the bow atop her head. "It's nothing. I think." With that, she turned away from the shadows beneath the boughs. "Come on Ruby, Yang's right about not getting left behind."

As the two girls, one clad in red and the other in black, moved away, Blake tried to shake the strange feeling she'd been getting since they set down in the clearing. The same feeling that now prompted her to make sure that she and her leader were with the others...and raised the thought that staying in numbers might be a very good idea.

She hadn't had this feeling during Initiation...but it occured to her now that there were no more cameras in the Emerald Forest, no veteran Huntsmen keeping an eye on their every move.

She just hoped that the itching between her shoulder blades didn't mean that something else had taken their place.

* * *

Qrow Branwen had been accused of many things in his lifetime.

He had been accused of, in no particular order, more crimes than were actually accounted for in the Valian Kingdom Police Force Manual. There was an entire _chapter_ of the most recent addition containing violations which did not exist before he had carried out the action which the law stated was illegal.

In other words, the only reason he wasn't spending his next umpteen centuries rotting in a cell somewhere was because, at the time, the laws he had broken didn't exist. It made for one hell of a loophole, and he had been exploiting it ever since Team STRQ had first set foot in a bar.

The Valian undergraduate scene had never been the same since.

But of those many things, one of the few he had been accused of multiple times was an inability to truly apply himself to anything outside of drinking, killing or flirting. Now, most of the time, that might actually be a fair accusation (not that he'd ever admit to it – or _anything_ , for that matter), but once in a while he had need to get serious.

This was one of those times, which was why he currently had his head buried in a massive pile of paperwork. The documentation, which probably represented enough material to flood the CCT beyond its ability to retain data, belonged to the Gelato Famiglia, one of Vale's larger crime families.

Getting to it had been a bit of a chore, since he was restricted to non-lethal force within city limits (barring a few exceptions or a substantial bribe), but between his training and his Semblance he had made it to the Father's office without anyone laying eyes on him. Of course, just to make sure, he'd knocked out each and every person on the way here and then proceeded to tie them up with their own jackets and bootlaces.

So he was enjoying some privacy as blood red eyes scanned the pages before him for information.

Two months prior, the entire Famiglia had apparently started receiving threats. They ranged from exposure of secrets, to death threats, to threats against close friends and family, to the promise of unleashing 'Neo' (who or whatever _that_ was.). One way or another, the entire organisation had been coerced expertly into dancing to someone's tune.

The Queen. It couldn't be anyone else, not with the sheer scale and skill of implementation he was seeing here. The crime family had absolutely nothing on who was giving their orders; they had just complied immediately after verifying that all the threats they could check were genuine.

They had been siphoning funds and Dust supplies from various businesses and organisations in their sphere of influence, calling in favours, subverting the commands of the Council, even conquering other, small organisations to gain more power to carry out their purpose.

And they did it in style too; Qrow idly wondered if he could find the number of their tailor somewhere in this mess.

But most of his attention was on using his Scroll to take pictures of the most important documents, and typing up a quick summation of all important information. Once that task was accomplished, he would retreat to Beacon and write up a full report...by hand.

He almost shuddered at the thought. The last time he'd written up a report by hand had been his fourth year Beacon History Exam. How Summer had convinced him to take History as an elective was _utterly_ beyond him, even years later – it had been a nightmare of unholy proportions, and his wrist ached in sympathy at the thought of the work he was facing.

There was nothing else for it, unfortunately. Ozpin had apparently decided that they were going completely non-digital, and the lengths he'd gone to to secure that status more than convinced the dark Huntsman that he was deadly serious. After all, the headmaster had only used his Semblance three times in the past decade alone.

One was when a first year student was kidnapped in Vale, and he'd only arrived in the split second before they would have been shot. The second was when he received a panicked message from a team in the outlands, requesting backup when they encountered an SS-class Grimm.

And now, he'd used it to turn himself into a glorified secretary. _'Huh. Oz turned into a secretary, and Glynda acts kinda like a janitor.'_ Idly, Qrow wondered what custodial role the various other staff members at Beacon fulfilled in their spare time.

At that point, he replaced the last document that he'd needed to take a picture of, and turned away from the filing cabinet it had been contained in. "Well, thanks for the info, old timer. You just rest 'till Vale PD can come put you somewhere more suitable for a gent of your years."

His tattered old cloak fluttered as he stalked from the room, leaving the snoring figure of one of Vale's top twenty most powerful criminal figureheads, a digital beacon used to attract police attention flashing silently on his chest, the man's hands tied by his jacket and his legs constricted by his own bootlaces.

One quick trip through the warren-like main base for the Famiglia later, Qrow emerged into the daylight of Vale. Looking up it looked to be around noon, and he decided that he'd swing by the Crowbar for a shot of something before he headed back to write his report.

Or, that _was_ the plan before his Scroll started vibrating. A quick check revealed the call's originator, and he held the device up to his head. "Glynda? What's up?"

" _Qrow, do you know where RWBY and JNPR are at the moment?_ "

Immediately, the occasionally-morally-ambiguous Huntsman straightened, his countenance growing serious. "No, I'm just finishing up with information gathering for Oz."

There was a muffled curse from the other end of the line. " _They aren't anywhere in the school, I've checked_ everywhere _. No one knows where they are either, and Ozpin's in a Council meeting, getting the latest._ "

'Getting the latest' meant, in this context, that the headmaster was making an attempt to undermine Winchester as an ancillary to their plan. If things went as they hoped, it would simply make the process easier. If everything went to hell, then it could well reinforce whatever desperate gamble they were forced to make. Either way, that meant that they couldn't contact him – all electronic devices in the chamber were on a closed circuit, and Scrolls were put in secure storage for the duration.

'Okay. No point in questioning her, it's her school after all. If she says the kids aren't there, they aren't there.' He ran possibilities fast, his rather extensive knowledge of human psychology (an elective course he had never had course to regret taking) allowing him to make an education guess from what he'd observed during the past week. "If they're not in the school, that leaves Vale or the Forest. I'll check with the airports, you check the launch pads – if they've entered the forest, I bet they've done it from there."

" _Understood. Hurry, Qrow – I have a bad feeling._ " The call disconnected, and the veteran Huntsman was moving at a dead sprint for the main port which governed travel between Vale and Beacon.

He just had to hope that the chilled sensation spreading from his bones was a figment of his imagination, and not some portent of things going wrong.

Yeah, because hoping and wishing had always done so much for him before.

* * *

Jaune crouched in the darkness of the Emerald Forest's undergrowth, cerulean eyes fixed on his prey.

It was sitting in place, looking around. It had obviously been lured by the bait, but was unable to locate it at close proximity. Its field of view was swapping at irregular intervals, but that was fine. They were only separated by a distance of about eight metres, he could cross that in less time than it took the creatureto shift its head a single degree.

So, the absolute instant its head was 180 degrees away from him, he burst from cover and leapt forward, going through the actions he had been carefully drilled in.

Settle hands on back of neck, either side of main plating.

Perform sweeping, spinning kicked in order to break off any spikes in inopportune places.

Lower self onto back, secure grips on either side of neck.

Hold on for dear life and laugh as appropriate.

He did so, mirth filling the clearing as the Ursa he was now sitting on roared and began turning on the spot, trying to dislodge its passenger. Unfortunately for it, he was holding its head too still for it to try and bite him, and its arms were unable to reach up and get him while he sat in this position.

It was also too stupid to try and crush him against an available surface, having no instincts to deal with this situation. Evolution had protected its back using spikes and armour, so there was nothing in its brain to help it with this kind of attack.

"What did Nora say...about moving forward?" Jaune asked himself, a habit he felt he should get into. He was _still_ having speech issues, and he felt that the practice of speaking with himself would help with that.

"Ah!" with that exclamation, and the accompanying recollection of the method for forward travel, the blond lowered his legs to be on either side of the Ursa's rib cage, and then started to squeeze with his knees.

If most people had done this, the monster wouldn't even have noticed. Of course, neither Nora Valkyrie nor Jaune Arc were normal people – hell, they weren't even normal Huntsmen or Huntresses.

They could be politely termed a slap in the face to human limitation.

Or spiritual members of Team Dai-Gurren, but that was another matter entirely.

As it was, the sheer power in his frame was enough to make the supernatural creature's rib cage begin to creak in protest, prompting a roar of pain and a sudden burst forward. Being the mindless creature it was, the Ursa's response to pain was to try and either eat the cause, or get away from it. Since one path was obviously barred to it, it attempted to fulfill the other.

It didn't help.

The blond riding it laughed his heart out as it charged, whooping as well as his body barely had to move to absorb energy from the movements. These monstrous manifestations of pure evil were _really_ good at absorbing force. Maybe he could see about tying one down to use as a pillow?

He considered that for a long moment before deciding it wouldn't be worth the effort to render it harmless. Plus, he'd probably kill it in his sleep. It wouldn't be the first time after all.

Shelving the idea for discussion with Nora later on, he focussed on grabbing the Ursa's head and _turning_ it hard to the left. To stop the appendage being snapped off entirely, the creature's body made the same turn, causing a change in course.

Jaune laughed even harder; _how_ had he never thought of this?! Truly, Nora was a genius.

Speaking of the hammer-wielder, he soon noticed her, as well as the rest of JNPR and RWBY, eating their lunch in a clearing. All of them looked up sharply as he cut across the space across from them, and with his perceptions being boosted beyond the human norm, he was able to get clear looks at all of them.

Yang was looking split three ways between gobsmacked, falling apart with laughter and passing out with incomprehension.

Pyrrha looked like she was mentally reorganising the way the world worked, but he thought that there was a smile twitching at the edges of her mouth as he waved at them.

Weiss' expression was half horrified, half dumbfounded, and she looked like she was about to have a fit.

Ruby was looking awestruck, and he had the sudden epiphany that the Grimm Rider Corps would probably be expanding by one in short order.

Blake...was rubbing the bridge of her nose with the index finger and thumb of her right hand. Though her attention seemed a bit divided...

His own attention was, however, attracted by a resigned Ren...and the Nora-shaped dust cloud beside him?

A moment later, he felt a noticeable weight settle on his shoulders. Looking up, he was met with the grinning visage of Nora Valkyrie, who had taken a seat behind him. "Jauney, you did it! Just like I taught you!"

As the 'pilot' turned them into a circular path around the clearing, he replied. "Yes Nora, I...cannot understand why I did not...discover this...earlier! It is...awesome!"

"I know, right?" The joy in the female warrior's tone was unmistakeable; with her boundless energy and unique way of looking at the world, finding anyone to share these things with was almost impossible. Or, it had been. Now she had a partner in crime! And pancakes. And Grimm riding. And pretty much everything else, really.

It felt...really good.

She couldn't really say all that out loud though – she'd never been as good with words as Ren had been, never really developed his ability to talk their way out of any situation, into any building or establishment, to keep them alive with nothing more than his silver tongue.

But she did hugs very well, so that was how she communicated her feelings to her leader. With a hug from behind as they rode a creature of pure evil in a ring around their friends.

In front of her, Jaune's smile grew even more. He used to have some skill with communication, but with all of that having gone to hell in the past few years, it had made way for a much more basic understanding. So he spoke 'hug' now, and carefully put his right arm behind his back to return the gesture as best he could at the moment.

Deciding that he should probably eat now (Ren's sandwiches looked _delicious_ ), he turned his head slightly to better speak with his teacher. "So Nora, how do I...stop this thing?"

He could _feel_ her grin. "Oh come on Jauney – that part's obvious!"

 _'Ah – of course.'_ "I see, Nora. Thank you." Well, he _had_ wanted to see what Malleus did to an Ursa.

He reformed his gauntlet in seconds, plotted a course of action, then executed it. Step one, rise to feet using back armour as a stable platform. Step two, turn and pick up Nora, place her one his back as she laughed with glee. Step three, jump into the air, rising a good few metres while simultaneously pushing the Ursa face-first into the ground.

Step four, spin in mid-air to face downwards, aim Malleus Accudo, and thumb the trigger. Step five...

Boom.

With a low whine the round discharged, and impacted the Ursa. Which had no aura, no Dust-powered shielding...and a a real penchant for absorbing kinetic energy.

Its physical form only held for about a nanosecond, then the laws of physics punched a massive hole all the way through its chest cavity, and the resulting shockwaves detonated what was left of the corpse. What hadn't been vaporised by the shot turned into black mist before it even touched the ground, leaving the only evidence of that Ursa's existence as the two-metre-across, half-metre-deep crater in the forest floor.

The blond and the hammer-wielder touched down in the centre of that crater soundlessly, Jaune's Aura completely negating the force of their landing. On his back, Nora let out a whooping sound. "Full marks! And ten points for the dismount!"

"Thank you, Nora."

The duo approached the rest of their friends, Ren's partner choosing to walk under her own power as she climbed own from her leader's back. Yang started clapping, quickly followed by Ruby. Ren and Pyrrha looked at one another, before the red-head burst into laughter and started clapping too.

Even the martial artist offered a genuine, wide smile at the joy and contentment on his oldest friend's face.

Blake was happily committing the scene to memory, idly wondering how long it would take before the blond captain received his first lawsuit for collaterol damage. Her bet was on something like five minutes after he began his first mission, but maybe that was unfair. Two minutes, perhaps?

One way or another, she couldn't help but partially negate her own good mood by keeping her senses trained on their surroundings. That damn feeling _still_ hadn't gone away, and it was really putting her on edge.

Beside her, Weiss was too busy trying to decide whether she had just witnessed a display of great skill or utter insanity. Eventually, she decided that she would just designate it as both and put the whole thing out of her mind...and try not to end up in any kind of position of responsibility during any joint missions they undertook with JNPR.

She wasn't sure even the Schnee Dust Company could afford to cover for the amount of damages she foresaw in his future.

"Nice show, Charming – guess you even had a loyal steed there, eh?" Yang laughed as her fellow blond pouted at her, then nudged her sister.

"Hey, you going to get in on this?" Ruby's silver eyes examined her sister's face closely, looking for what she might be insinuating.

"Well..." she started, rubbing her hands together in an unconscious show of nervousness, "it _did_ look really fun..."

"I would be happy if you...joined me, Ruby." Jaune's smile was so genuine at that, with absolutely nothing to be read between the lines, and that just made the little reaper go redder.

Weiss immediately turned to Yang, holding a hissed conversation. "Are you sure about that?"

The brawler turned to the heiress, her expression oddly serious. "Yeah. It'll be good for both of them, and besides..." She cracked her knuckles. "Anything touches her, I turn it into dust."

The Schnee didn't doubt that. Looking across at the blond leader, who was apparently utterly unaware of the vaguely-veiled threat against his physical wellbeing, was moving to sit down with his partner and other teammates, the male of which was offering him a wrapped package...when something _shifted_.

* * *

It was Blake who noticed first. The feeling she'd been getting all day suddenly intensified, and she felt something begin to press down on her ever so slightly. She shot to her feet, Gambol Shroud appearing in her hands as she went, and began spinning around to try and perceive what was causing it.

Jaune was hot on her heels. He reversed his downward motion, drawing Luna Machaera and holding it in two hands, eyes flickering around the clearing.

For a couple of seconds, their other teammates weren't sure what was going on. A moment later though, they all began to feel it. A prickling between the shoulder blades, a subtle pressure all over, something like vaguely-audible whispering on the edges of their senses.

All of them got to their feet, the eight of them backing into a circle as weapons were drawn all around. "What _is_ that?"

Weiss' hissed question was met with a shake of the head by Blake, even as the heiress' aura travelled into Myrtenaster, ready and waiting to be employed in activating the Dust within. "I've been feeling something since we landed, but I thought I was just being twitchy."

"Blake, the next time you're feeling 'twitchy', just say something." Yang's voice was steady, but there was an edge to it...though it wasn't directed at her partner. She felt distinctly unsettled by this feeling, and beside her she could see Crescent Rose shaking minutely as tiny tremors ran through Ruby's body.

Ren and Pyrrha were holding themselves together better, both being masters of self-control, and were on a hair trigger to attack, defend or evade. Nora was on full attack mode, Magnhild held rock-steady in her arms as static electricity seemed to build up in the air around her.

Jaune stood ready. This feeling was familiar – _very_ familiar. But he had never thought he would feel it _here_ , of all places. _'I thought I could afford to relax here...I guess the fight isn't quite over yet.'_ He heaved a sigh, but immediately fell into combat mode as he implemented his basic response for this situation.

All around his body, and easily noticed by all around him, white fire burst into life as his Aura flared. He pushed it to its maximum output, until an observor could be forgiven for believing a star had set foot on Remnant. The ethereal flames roiled across his body, and as his eyes opened they glowed the same colour. " **Domus dei.** "

The words triggered the response his training had ingrained in him, and the power around him spread out into the air and surrounded his friends. It spread further, forming a dome of incorporeal energy. As he did so, the worst of the feeling vanished.

Everyone stood a little straighter, feeling that pressure vanish, even though the feeling of being watched did not. "Jaune..." That was Pyrrha, who was staring at him out the corner of her eye, even as the others resisted the urge to in favour of looking out at the forest. "What was that?"

Her leader would have winced, if there any room in his mind for non combat-related thoughts currently. "A...defensive measure." he replied. "It will...alleviate the pressure for you."

"So you know what this is?" asked Weiss, still desperately trying to spot something beneath the trees.

"Yes." was the simple reply, as glowing white eyes pierced the darkness beneath the trees. "Everyone be...ready. They are coming."

"They?" Yang asked, but there was no need for Jaune to answer. A moment later, their opponents answered for them.

They seemed to come from absolutely nowhere, as if they had stepped from the shadows of the trees themselves, charging across the clearing towards the circle of warriors. They resembled Grimm, but they were fundamentally different.

Some seemed like they had started off as Beowolves, but along the line something had twisted them. There was no fur on their bodies, leaving black skin which seemed cracked like rock. From beneath those cracks seeped blood-red energy, like the eyes of normal Grimm, as if it were blood. Their musculature seemed even more defined, implying their physical abilities were beyond normal monsters, and their speed supported that.

As the white-haired fencer blocked the progress of two with one Glyph, she could see that the teeth in their mouths were the same blood-red as their claws (less like an animal's, more like daggers grafted to the digits), and looked several inches too long to fit in the space...until she realised that these creatures' jaws were unhinged to let them open their mouths further.

If that wasn't bad enough, their eyes weren't the blood red of normal. Instead, they were mostly abyssal black, like staring into a starless night but for the flames dancing there. It was like the sockets were empty, and a crimson flame had been lit in each.

Others were more akin to Ursa...on a basic level. They stood on two legs, where the wolves seemed to prefer four, towering at nearly four metres in height. They were walls of muscle, just as hairless as their smaller brethren, replete with the same cracks. Indeed, they also shared the dagger-like teeth and claws, although on these monstrosities the claws were more than a foot in length.

They were also, as Yang discovered when she blocked a swipe from one on Ember Celica, _really_ strong. She was forced to one knee, feeling reverberations all throughout her body, and grunted as she felt the earth beneath her giving way. With a mighty effort and a shout, she managed to rise back to her feet and drive her free arm into the monster's midsection.

The blow, which would have carried a normal Grimm a good few feet away, instead rocked it back on its heels. Taking advantage anyway, she leapt upward and drove a right straight into the side of its face, firing as she did so.

There was a distinct cracking noise, and something in that monstrous head broke. The bear-like creature fell to the ground, unmoving, as the red glow seemed to die out. At the same time, the corpse started to collapse into ashes, what looked like flames licking up from within it.

She didn't have time to dwell on the combustion however, as another of the monsters was stepping up. Behind it were more, and the clearing seemed to be rapidly filling up as more and more of them appeared.

The brawler gritted her teeth. She was really beginning to wish she hadn't asked herself how this day was going to end...

* * *

JNPR and RWBY were fighting for their lives.

Every member was doing their utmost to hold their own, using their own weapons and their own style, pulling out every technique and every scrap of learning they could muster in the defense of themselves and the person to either side of them in the circle.

It had only been a minute, and already all processing power had been directed to combat. There was no higher order thinking – instead, the world had collapsed to this circle. There was only the fighter, and the fighter on either side. They were the reason for existing, and they must defend that reason.

Bullets flew, high calibre and low, though they did little. The skin of the creatures was far more reminiscent of rock than originally anticipated; even Dust-forged steel could only pierce it if the wielder put their all behind it, and then some.

Myrtenaster couldn't pierce them, not until its wielder switched to her White Dust. The purifying abilities of the powerful substance allowed her weapon to get inside them, but that was a precious resource and she hoarded it for only the most desperate strikes.

Otherwise, she focussed on using her weapon like a conductor's baton. Glyphs appeared everywhere in her sector, walls and pillars of ice spiking into existence and capturing or injuring the monsters as great pillars of fire burst into existence. Her Aura and Dust supplies were draining rapidly, but she was holding her own for now.

Blake and Ren were dancing in place, somehow never leaving their designated spots even as they used their opponents like climbing frames. The brunette girl's shadow clones provided platforms for re-direction, shielded her from blows, and provided the momentary distraction necessary for her to strike in a vital area.

And there _were_ vital areas. Around the throat and joints, the rock-like skin was softer, allowing those with low physical ability to deal damage there. The martial artist had discovered this, and Stormflower cut green trails through the air as he wielded them with a flourish, removing limbs and opening airways all around him. Magenta ripples pulsed to put more force behind the swings, allowing him margin of error, and accelerating him constantly until he could go no faster or lose control.

Both of them were just barely holding out.

Yang and Nora had discovered that, although they couldn't get through the monsters' skin, they didn't have to. The blunt force of their blows seemed to rock the creatures far more than anything else save Weiss' Dust, leading Ren to believe that their internal organs were somehow rocky as well. Either way, they were physical powerhouses enough to break them apart from the inside out, so they had time to occasionally lean over and aid their battle-partners.

Then, there were Pyrrha and Ruby. Both were fast, but the reaper lacked the taller girl's sheer strength. Thankfully, she had accounted for that in designing her weapon. Crescent Rose discharged high-power rounds semi-constantly, propelling it with more speed than any human could achieve wielding it normally. Add in the weapon's sheer mass, and voila – the Reaper had taken the field, and she was taking her harvest.

The Goddess of Victory, as she had been known on the Mistrali circuit, was fighting hard enough to earn her title. Physically strong enough to break through the hide, speed and power reinforced by having her Semblance move her armour and weapons alongside her body, there was an almost solid wall of ashes before her as she struck again and again, absorbing every hit with her shield, green eyes burning as her battle cries rang out over the din.

Then, there was Jaune.

This wasn't really anything new to him – except for one aspect. He had _backup_. It was an entirely novel experience, and he found it both limiting and incredibly freeing. No longer was his existence solely dependent on himself; no longer did his perceptions need to be 360 degrees or it would take only one strike to end his journey.

He had people to watch his back...and he'd decided that he _really_ liked that feeling. What he _didn't_ like were the monsters pouring from the shadows, and he growled low in his throat as Luna Machaera sung, limbs and heads and entrails and _God_ only knew what else piling up before him and burning away to ashes.

His Aura dome was still in place, still holding back that terrible pressure. Apparently a week hadn't been enough time to make him rusty, since although he was focussed partially on it, his conscious mind could barely tell. Man, Dad's advice about self-hypnosis had been an absolute Godsend.

He was actually falling back into a rhythm, feeling oddly comfortable...until the first scream rang out.

He knew instantly that it was Weiss; a slight turn of the head showed that one of the Hellhounds had managed to clear her defenses, and its claws had run down her blade and slashed across the back of her hand.

Yang had immediately found an opening in her percussion of blunt force trauma to kill it with a strike to the head, but Weiss was injured. She was _bleeding._

 _One of his sisters was bleeding._

The Words began to burn, and he almost let them come...but no. He couldn't, had to keep his promise.

But there was one thing he could see he hadn't actually promised...and he apologised to his saviour as his Aura flared once again, powering up to maximum as he focussed, and began to speak.

 **"We are the shadow of the sun."**

* * *

Ruby wasn't quite sure how she should feel right now.

Part of her was terrified. She was fifteen years old, a slip of a girl, and she was standing back to back with seven people only two years her senior, facing down a never ending army of monsters. Oh yes, part of her was _gibbering_ with terror, but she was ignoring it at the moment.

Part of her was worried. For her sister, for her team, for her friends, for Jaune...although she wasn't sure why he was separate from that list. One way or another, concern and something else for all those people was flowing through her.

Most of her, though, was _angry._

This had been a day for fun, for laughter and camaraderie, for coming together as teams and friends to be closer and shine some light on the world. This had been a day for _joy_ , and these monstrosities were _ruining it._

So she growled as she swung, her silver eyes ablaze with righteous fury as Crescent Rose took a toll on any creature that came close. On either side of her, Weiss and Ren were doing their utmost, each in utterly different ways, but brilliant nonetheless. She was proud of her partner, for she'd seen the same fury on her face and _knew_ that the once-cold Heiress was standing beside her. As a teammate, as an equal, as a _partner._

She'd been longing for that kind of connection, and now they had it. She just had to live long enough to enjoy it.

Then the world seem to stop as the girl cried out, a monster getting too close, Ruby too engaged to block the attack, to intervene. She watched in horror, from the corner of her eye, as a cruel red claw tore through Weiss' aura like paper, savaging the skin and bones in her hand.

Her mind started to blank as Yang killed it, emotions rising too high and too fast for her to possibly understand what she was feeling. She just knew she had to _act_ , had to do _something_. Something stirred in her mind, like a presence on the very edge of her consciousness, its attention rising like a great leviathan looking to the surface...

And then, she heard the words, and suddenly she had something else to focus on.

* * *

 **"We are the shadow of the sun."**

The monsters stopped, frozen in place for just a split-second as the white dome turned black. It was an instantaneous shift, from the colour of fresh-fallen snow to the abyssal tones of raven feathers and ebony jewels.

Jaune's aura, coating his body like armour, began to fluctuate and shift, its form shifting as he continued to speak. **"Silence is our body, and shadows flow through our veins."**

It peeled back from his face, thickening over the top of his head and around the side. Likewise it shifted away from his torso and the front of his legs, peeling away from parts of his body entirely so it fell around him like a cloak...or a shroud. **"We have brought low over a thousand sinners."**

The creatures had started to move again now, but the defenders suddenly found themselves with a new issue. The monstrosities weren't targeting _them_ – they were all going straight to the blond whose eyes had turned the black of a cat's coat at midnight. **"We are judged by Evil, and in turn we judge it."**

A tidal wave of darkness was seeming to fall towards Jaune, even as NPR closed ranks around him. Yang, Ruby and Blake had done the same with Weiss, who was gritting her teeth as she tore off the sleeve of her dress to use as a makeshift bandage, her Aura not healing the wound for whatever reason. **"Beneath our wings the world is shadowed, but neither light nor dark can touch us."**

Jaune's focus was half on his chant, half on his enemies. They swarmed between his teammates. They were taking a toll, but these creatures were faster than Grimm, stronger than Grimm, hardier than Grimm. And right now, they were too numerous for his friends to handle. For each one they stopped, two made it past. They bore down on him like bloodied ink, spilled from the desk of some demented author.

It was just what he needed. **"Now darkened like old blood, we bring Justice to bear..."**

His eyes closed for just a moment, as his Aura flared to new heights. He could perceive everything; the perfect combination of touch, smell and hearing created a shell of perception around him, showing to him everything within three metres of his body. His mind took that information, turned it into combat data, fed it to his instincts and his reflexes.

Cerulean blue, hidden behind an opaque flame of black power, opened once more, and Jaune Arc stood ready. **"...with the emptiness of a warrior's heart."**

His Aura took its form, he sheathed his blade, he took his stance. His Semblance powered up to full, folds of black power falling around him like a cloak even as the world slowed around him, Aura misting away from him like black smoke.

Then he _moved_.

* * *

Blake Belladonna read a lot of stories.

She always had, ever since she was a child. Raised in an orphanage with little to no support, the dusty library had been her most steadfast companion. She had devoured book after book, learning of new worlds, new sciences, new languages and everything in between.

That made her something of an expert on a lot of Remnant's folk lore.

There were a lot of legends in the world. From the origins of the Grimm to the Four Maidens, stories were the life blood of the world.

She felt like what she now saw should be one of those.

The monsters were hellish. She had seen more clones die that day than in the rest of her life combined, she thought. So many lethal blows, so many near misses, so many times she missed her mark with Gambol Shroud and the blade just skipped off their stoney hide.

Still, she kept moving. She had to _live_ , she couldn't fulfill her goals if she died. And she couldn't let her team die – not after the kindness they'd shown, not after her leader had somehow dragged her into a web of ties she had never expected to be part of.

Not since a tortured young man had sat down and shared his life with them in a show of faith that still astounded her.

But now she came to a halt, even as she stood guard over her fallen teammate, because what she was seeing just stopped her cold.

Jaune's Aura...had _shifted colour._ That shouldn't be possible; as an extension of the soul, an Aura's colouration was defined by the existence of its user. That meant that for it to change, something fundamental about a person needed to shift.

All he'd done was say some words...so what had caused this?

Even stranger was the fact that it had changed shape. Now it fell around him like a hooded cloak down to his ankles, while smoke curled away from it... No, she realised, not smoke. Aura. Power was literally curling off him in waves, as if he couldn't contain everything he was generating.

And then he started to move.

He seemed to... _twitch._ It was barely noticeable, a flicker around the edges of his being, a wave of smoke-like power shifting in the air, a slight turn and perhaps an inch of motion to the left. But he'd _moved_ , and a half second later every monster for ten metres in every direction _exploded_.

No, that wasn't it – all of their limbs just separated at once, perfect cuts that left their insides barely disturbed. She could see their entire interiors...like pulsing stone, reminding her in some twisted way of magma.

Then she realised that he'd just turned probably upwards of some entirely new breed of Grimm into _mincemeat,_ and she hadn't even seen him do it. _'He wasn't that fast against Coco or Yang – he's never shown that kind of speed at all.'_ She stared at the cloak, the one that seemed like it was aura incarnate, the sleeves of which fell down around his hands and the shadows of which concealed his face even as it billowed around him.

 _'His...Semblance?'_ she wondered, as the figure she _knew_ to be a kind, easily loving blond boy with a blinding smile and a penchant for chaos turned to look at the waves of pure evil still pouring down on him, and _felt_ the rage it exuded even from where she stood.

This time she saw him vanish, saw his power trail like smoke from a bonfire as he raced through the horde around him, so when he stopped it seemed like he turned from ethereal mist to solid body rather than simply halting his motion.

Another half second delay, and then every creature that had been coming toward him fell in the exact same manner as the ones before it.

It was an impossible display of power – it was beyond human, beyond any Huntsman, beyond any _story_ she had ever read.

She found herself wondering just what she was looking at. A legend? A ghost? A god? A mon-

No. Not that one. _Never_ that one, because she was looking at _Jaune_ , and she had promised to stand by him even if those weren't her exact words. _Not_ that word.

So as the cloaked figure approached, his every footstep utterly silent, the dome of black flames around them still burning strongly as it encompassed the area, she looked around once. There were no more of the creatures coming; the feeling from earlier was gone. They were safe.

Jaune had made them safe.

So she sheathed her weapon, Gambol Shroud taking its place on her back, and she turned around to kneel beside her teammate.

A moment later he joined her, along with Yang and Ruby, as Weiss lay on the ground with her arm elevated, white sleeve wrapped tight around the wound in her hand. "Weiss..." there was Ruby, laying a small hand lightly on one shoulder, stained a bit red from blood dripping down the arm.

The Heiress turned her head to her leader, locked in a rictus of strained willpower as she gritted her teeth around her words. "Aura's...not working. Think the bleeding's stopped though."

Beside Blake, the dark figu- _Jaune_ , nodded. "Wounds from these don't heal right. They need to be cleaned first."

The faunus blinked, as did all the others there – NPR had joined them, their focus split between their comrade and their leader, different emotions visible depending on who they were regarding. _'He just spoke completely normally...?'_

Deciding that wasn't a priority, Blake accessed her stores of memories on first aid and what to do in situations like this. "Our Scrolls won't work all the way out here, and we don't have anything to treat this. We need to get back to the Academy, they have a medical facility there."

Jaune nodded, and for a moment he went completely still. Then, there was a strange _sucking_ feeling, as the smoke around him sank into the cloak of energy he wore. When it had all returned, the manifestation itself broke apart, falling into flames and lightening as it went. In a few seconds, the blond's face was once more visible, white fire burning all across his body.

"Then we must...move quickly."

 _'And back to...well, normal I guess.'_ Blake noted, knowing she wasn't the only one to have done so.

As the blond moved forward to pick up the heiress, he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Jaune...please. Let me." It was Yang, looking at her teammate with a look that told him she _needed_ to do this.

He understood that look immediately, and he complied. He stood and moved back, letting the brawler gently lift the injured girl into her arms. Jaune looked around, examining everyone else. No injuries he could see beyond small scratches or bruises here and there...

He breathed out a sigh of relief, before drawing himself up and thinking through what they needed to do now. "We must stay...together." No one argued with him, and Ruby immediately caught on and shifted into her own leader mode.

"Yeah, but we need to move quickly. Who's the slowest person here do we think?" Nora raised her hand, and the silver-eyed girl nodded. "Right, Jaune can carry Nora. Then we go all-out back to Beacon, use whatever Aura we have left. Everyone good with that?"

Nods all around, people automatically reacting to the note of command that had made its way into the reaper's voice. "Alright, let's move and get Weiss back home."

They turned and ran as one, JNPR's leader lifting his much small friend into his arms and then onto his back as they went, the world passing them by as they sprinted, a delicate white figure nestled protectively in Yang's arms.

* * *

Several hours later, Jaune and Ruby were standing in Ozpin's office. The man himself was there, as were Glynda. The professor had met them about two thirds of the way back, taken one look at Weiss, and swung into action.

By combining her Semblance with Yellow Dust, she'd managed to levitate all of their team and fly them back to the school at velocities rivalling any aircraft. Weiss had immediately been deposited with the school infirmary, her wound washed out and treated. Her Aura had begun to work after whatever it was which had been left behind was cleared out, and she was expected to make a full recovery in a few days.

Yang and Blake were with her in the ward, NPR apparently joining them. Everyone had taken some kind of beating, Ruby and Jaune were also expected to stay the night there.

First though, was this meeting – and the blond leader hoped this wouldn't go on too long. He could feel the pressure in the back of his mind, and holding it off would only get exponentially more difficult as time went by.

Thankfully, the headmaster got straight to the point. "Okay, Jaune. I already know both you and Ms Rose, so I know that whatever happened, was unintentional." His amber eyes were sharp, the same look present in the woman standing behind him.

"However, we need to know exactly what happened. So can you please recount the details?" Jaune nodded, and launched into an account of the day.

A few minutes later, Ozpin raised his hand to call a halt. "Alright. So, Hellhounds and Ogres?"

The boy across the desk from him nodded. "That is what I...called them."

"So you have prior experience with these creatures?" Another nod.

"Obviously from your time beyond the walls..." the man muttered to himself, before fixing another look on the young man. "What can you tell me about them?"

Jaune collected all that he could think of about the monsters. "I was...trained to fight them. They were...somewhat common around Arc, and as a...trainee Huntsman, I would be...expected to fight them in the...future." Oh, Ozpin had _so_ many questions now...but he could raid the Arc files later.

"They are...better than Grimm in...almost every way. They have the same...intelligence, though. And they are...fewer in number." Ruby blinked. They certainly hadn't _seemed_ fewer in number.

"And why is that Jaune?" queried the headmaster, eyebrows lifted slightly.

In his spot, the blond froze. The answer to _that_ question was connected to a lot of memories...a lot of memories that he _really_ didn't like bringing up. Jaune took a deep, shuddering breath, an act that didn't go unnoticed by those around him, before speaking quietly. "Because they are...unnatural. They do not...appear. They are made."

 _That_ answer stopped Ozpin in his tracks...but so did the way his pseudo-charge was acting. He _knew_ he should push for answers...but he didn't. _Wouldn't_. Not to Jaune. "Alright Jaune," he said, just as quietly, "thank you for answering."

He turned to Ruby. "And you, Ms Rose, how did things go from your point of view?"

Flinching slightly at being called on, the little reaper recounted things from her side. How they had entered the forest, and Blake had acted ever so slightly strangely. How there had been remarkably few Grimm to hunt, even when they checked environments that should have been teeming with them. How she had, in retrospect, felt something... _off_ , even as she and her friends ran together, and played word games, and ate on the grass eating enjoying their time together.

How the shadows themselves had spit out horrific monsters, how her mind had shut down and simultaneously sped up as she fought, how her emotions had begun to burn out of her control...until Weiss screamed.

She slowed down there, looking at her hands. "My mind just...stopped. I...it's really hard to describe." Her brow furrowed as her fists clenched, and a flicker of something appeared in Glynda's eyes. She rest a finger on Ozpin's shoulder and moved forward, until she laid a gentle hand on Ruby's shoulder.

"Take all the time you need, Ms Rose. You've done nothing wrong, and we don't want you hurt or uncomfortable." The headmaster nodded from his place at the desk, and the scythe-wielder took a deep breath as she collected herself.

"I think I got...I was feeling so _much_ , I couldn't tell what I was feeling anymore." Silver eyes flickered up. "It almost felt like I wasn't quite in control anymore...like someone else was stepping up to take control."

Next to her, Jaune stiffened. No...it couldn't be. Could it? He used to think he was the only one, but maybe...

Apparently his friend didn't notice, since she shook her head to clear it a moment later. "Anyway, I was going to do something...I'm not even sure what...but then Jaune started speaking and all the monsters started running at _him_ instead of us. Ren, Pyrrha and Nora tried to hold them back but they all just went right for him, and I think we all thought he was going to...to..."

She held back a sniffle, even as she heard a rustling of cloth. A moment later she was wrapped in a hug, the tall figure beside her gently stroking her hair as she took deep breaths, whispering something that didn't make sense...but it was comforting none the less, and it told her he was there, and he was alright.

Getting herself under control, she reddened slightly as she gave the boy a hug back and then took a step away. "Thanks, Jaune..." she coughed once or twice, clearing her throat. "But then he stopped speaking, and he...I think he activated his Semblance? And then he just...killed them."

She looked over at the tall young man she'd...adopted? Who had adopted her? What exactly had happened there? "All of them, in seconds. Just...tore them apart."

Glynda and Ozpin's gazes turned to Jaune, who met them head-on. "Ruby is...correct."

It was a simple statement, but it told them everything they needed to know, and both relaxed slightly. Glynda moved and squeezed his shoulder, while the headmaster tapped his fingers on his desk, eyes unfocussed.

"You have both more than earned your rest. This was a highly unfortunate accident, and we'll look into it...though I regret to say, Jaune, that we may require your help again in putting all the pieces together." And he _did_ regret it, because he could tell that no matter how gently he did it, learning what they needed to know was going to hurt Jaune.

A smile, tired smile spread across the JNPR leader's face. "That is...alright, Ozpin." He really meant it too – amber eyes that had stared down beasts both souled and soulless could tell that with ease.

"Go on – both of you head to the infirmary and get a good night's rest. You won't be disturbed tomorrow, so make sure you're recovered." Those orders having been provided, the headmaster gestured that the two youths should leave the office. They went, Glynda going with them to make sure they got to some beds, and a few moments later the elevator doors closed.

They had barely done so when Qrow stepped from the shadows in a corner of the room, where he had been concealed. His eyes met Ozpin's, and silent conversation flashed between them for a moment. Then he pulled a large number of papers from inside his jacket, placing them on the man's desk as he took a seat across from him.

Both of them ignored the report – it was secondary right now.

"Does it match anything you've encountered before, old friend?" the silver-haired man asked, idly picturing what both Jaune and Ruby had described. Across the desk, Qrow was doing the same thing, and he shook his head.

"No. I thought I'd seen every kind of monster that hellscape could spit up, but this is new. To me, at least."

Ozpin sighed. "More questions... _always_ more questions."

Qrow knew how his 'boss' was feeling, and just nodded in sympathy. The two sat in the quiet ticking of the office, contemplating a wholly new enemy – one that only their young charge, the one they were trying so hard to give an easier life, seemed to have the knowledge to combat effectively.

The thought that there were now an additional seven combatants with at least one skirmish's worth of experience would have pleased him, if they weren't also students under his protection.

Students who, if not for Jaune's actions, most certainly died today.

"Sometimes I wonder if I'm really the best choice for this job." he commented, reaching for his thermos.

Across the desk from him, the dark Huntsman gave a small, weary smile, similar to the one that Jaune had displayed not long before. "And it's because you ask yourself that we tell you yes."

A dark chuckle from the powerful man, who sometimes felt utterly powerless to accomplish the most basic task he'd set himself. Safeguarding the ones in his care from everything he could, for as long as he could, until they could stand themselves.

Of course, that was why he had friends.

He raised a mug in toast, and it was joined by one of his oldest friends. "I'll drink to that."

* * *

Lying on a bad in the infirmary, Jaune braced himself.

His other teammates had already fallen asleep by the time they returned, needing the time to heal and process what had happened. He knew he'd be having a long conversation with Pyrrha later – hell, he'd probably be having one with everyone for that matter – but for now, he had to take care of this.

He released the mental lock he'd been holding on the pressure in his mind, its advance halted by sheer willpower, and gritted his teeth. All the pain he'd been holding at bay came at once, a sharp humming that he knew would only fade with time and rest.

It was pretty bad, but at least it wasn't the worst he'd ever had it. His pain tolerance was pretty high at this point, and even if his Semblance _did_ have some backlash, he could use it without passing out these days.

It was a welcome change.

For now though, passing out seemed like quite a nice idea...so he let the black tide carry him away, as his slumbering form joined the rest of his new family in the quiet embrace of the ward's atmosphere.

Tomorrow was going to be a long day, but at least he'd be able to stand and face it.

* * *

Many miles away, behind a warren of tunnels and caves, in a place where crimson flames burned low in braziers, something stirred. Its minions had found something, had been defeated.

Teeth were bared and lips curled, but the expression couldn't accurately be called a smile. Expression required emotion...and emotion required humanity.

And this thing wasn't human. This thing was a _monster._

And now, it had prey to stalk.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Holy. ****ing. ****.**

 **Okay, now that's out of the way, hello! I am back!**

 **So, been about what – two months since I posted anything? Sorry about that – like, _seriously_ sorry about that. It's been an...eventful time, and with everything going on, my muse kinda got shunted to the back burner. This chapter's been growing the whole time, in leaps and starts, so...sorry again?  
**

 **But we ended up with the single largest chapter to date, at 16,000 WORDS. I feel like I'm spiting myself by raising that bar higher and higher...**

 **But anyway, I just wanted to say _thank you_ to everyone who's been reading, reviewing, following and favouriting. The support is still incredible, and is in fact even _more_ incredible, as we broke several barriers since last time.**

 **In June and July, we had 29,314 views of the story, bringing the total up to 60,296 views...not including visitors, because it's half one in the morning and I can't be bothered to do calculations right now.**

 **We've expanded to 622 favourites and 751 followers, which is a jump of 184 and 202 respectively – which is just _awesome._**

 **Also, (and get this), we are on the SECOND PAGE for M-rated RWBY fics, sorted by favourites. Now, that might not meet much overall – but for a fic this young, to be able to get so high under _any_ filter seems like a great accomplishment to me. Congrats, folks – we did this together!**

 **And _yet more_ thanks, because I got reviews! 63 new reviews to be exact, so _hot damn!_ And pretty much all of those were praise or wishes for me to continue, and that just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I swear, you guys are turning me into some kind of plush toy with all the feel-good-ness.**

 **I guess I'll just channel it all into fluff next chapter.**

 **Just wanted to address something real quick – the main pairing is now Lancaster, as previously stated, and that's set in stone. Some people won't like it – I get that. It's easy to do wrong, it can be a bit weird, and obviously it's been done before (by far better authors than me, to boot). So, kind of sorry, but at the same time I appreciate people sticking with it despite that.**

 **In fact, I got a PM about it a while back, let me just paste my response to it.**

 **(**

 **[Man, I hate pairing Ruby with anybody because I have trouble being attracted to the romance of a fifteen year old girl with less maturity than somebody half her age.]** Yeah, I can understand that. It's pretty similar to how Naruto x Hinata always seems to go in Naruto fanfiction, isn't it? There's something off-putting about how childish they seem. Of course, in my headcanon Ruby has a perfectly sound reason for being as she is, and she'll undoubtedly get better as time goes by.

 **[Especially so when the relationship turns sexual as most authors do.]** Yeah...that's just creepy, really. I mean what is it with fanfiction getting hot and heavy with underage characters?! I mean come on guys, at least wait until they're sixteen! Time travel, forced growth, alternate universe - who gives a damn so long as I can read the story without feeling like a goddamn pedophile?! Suffice to say that there will be NO sexual stuff here. REALLY not my cup of tea, and as you pointed out, she's fifteen. There'll be none of that on MY watch, thank you very much...

 **)**

 **So yeah, that about sums that up I think.**

 **Damn, I think the last five notes or so have all had something to do with pairings. How did such a nonessential part of the story end up this important...?**

 **Meh. God only knows, I'll trust him to know what he's doing.**

 **I hope you enjoyed reading this even partially as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you have any comments or criticism, please leave a review and I'll be sure to get back to you. Enjoy your day!**


	12. XII - Purpose

It had been a long, late night for Headmaster Ozpin. He and Qrow had spoken well into the evening, before the younger man made his exit. Ozpin could tell from the glint in his eye that the Huntsman was, for all his self-control, looking for an outlet. He had always been a bit...twitchy, when it came to his nieces; particularly since they had come so close to death at a young age.

Though they hadn't really needed it that day, the fact that Qrow hadn't been able to offer his help in keeping them safe had been eating at him. Now, with both girls safe behind Beacon's walls, he was free to find some release.

If Ozpin knew his friend at all, he'd wager that Vale's criminal underworld was about to have a rather bad night.

He, however, forewent such a response. Instead, he made his way to the heavily secured area currently housing the various documents that he'd been able to lay his hands on in regards to Arc. It was, frankly, a mess; everything from birth and marriage certificates to reports from the police quartermaster and undelivered items from the post office was here, but there was nothing comprehensive, and there was no guide.

He had the equivalent of a scrapbook, but someone had torn out all the pages and stuck them back in without paying attention to the page numbers – and adding in two other scrapbooks to boot.

Still, he had set to work, digging his way through the various boxes of paperwork in search of some reference to the creatures described by his students. While he did so, other trains of thought spun their wheels behind his eyes. How the creatures had appeared _here_ was an obvious question, considering the rather substantial separation between Beacon and the remains of Arc. There was the obvious connection between Jaune's arrival and the creatures' appearance, but how could they possibly track him so far? It was hard to believe anything could escape Qrow's notice, particularly when Jaune showed all the signs of supersensory ability. Faunus ancestry perhaps?

He wasn't sure, and not being sure about something made him nervous. That included the young man's Semblance; he had personally borne witness to just about everything under the sun when it came to the powers of the soul, particularly during his stint as Headmaster. At first glance, Jaune's Semblance appeared to be a combination of an Enhancement Class and a Raiment Class; a rarity to be sure, but he had seen stranger combinations in his time.

And yet...he had not, in his entire life, seen an instance where a Semblance caused a shift in the user's Aura, or required such a shift to function. From the somewhat nervous glances Miss Belladonna had been shooting the blond's way, it seemed the White Fang refugee was aware of just how significant that fact was; he hoped it wouldn't cause any issues in the dynamics forming between RWBY and JNPR.

Ever since they had returned as one unit from the Emerald Forest, they had functioned less as two teams and more as one large team. Certainly, not all of them interacted with all the others regularly, but they could all find common ground somewhere. A web of ties were forming, and Jaune was in the centre of it – quite accidentally, on his part.

But those bonds were still growing, still fragile. He could only hope that the faunus' logical side won out over any instinctual reaction.

But regardless, that Semblance both worried and fascinated him. It was a mystery, and quite honestly he wasn't entirely sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. To seemingly shift a person's entire core of being with naught but words...what would come of such an ability?

He hoped that he could know, if he tracked down the relevant files among this mess.

Eventually, he found more or less what he was looking for. A report, filed by one of the locally trained Huntsmen, detailing a patrol mission.

As he pored over it, reaching for his thermos with a free hand, Ozpin started connecting dots in his mind – and realised that this might be a higher priority issue than he had initially suspected.

* * *

It hadn't been a good night thus far for Ruby Rose.

She slept fitfully, having difficulty reaching any kind of unconsciousness and being almost immediately bombarded with confusing whirls of vision, sound and other aspects of memory whenever she did achieve it. As time went by, she grew more and more frustrated with her inability to get some rest, which finally culminated in her rising from the hospital bed and ever-so-quietly making her way out into the greater building to look for something calming.

She remained unaware of a shadowy form following along behind her as she went, nodding to another figure as it did so. Both figures had been awake for hours, now; each had found some rest, but had been unable to attain more.

It padded along silently at her heels as she searched, eventually making her way to the cafeteria, where she discovered a skeleton crew of chefs and a few scattered students from the higher years.

She skipped the foods, too wired and too enamoured with the idea of a good night's sleep to even think of her cookies, and was rewarded with warm milk after a quick search of the beverages on offer.

She took a seat at a bench, and it was only when a weight settled down beside her with a flicker of motion that she became aware of her silent companion.

"Jaune?" She asked, too tired to be anything more than passingly curious but running too high on frustration to just let him go unremarked. "Did you follow me?"

"Yes." He answered simply, and she noticed that in his hands was a mug of what was most definitely coffee.

"You know that doesn't help you sleep?" She asked, taking the time to down some of her own sleep-inducing concoction as he nodded. When he said nothing, her eyes narrowed. "So why are you drinking it?"

She knew it was completely unfair of her to get pissy with him because he failed to explain himself further; it would have been unfair to anyone, but Jaune more than most. Still, before she could really think about apologising, he spoke. "If I am asleep, I...cannot guard."

Ruby blinked rapidly a few times, her mental state far from conducive to investigative thinking and her body finally beginning to shut down as the familiar taste of warm milk told it to calm down. "Guard? What, us?"

The blond nodded, taking a long pull of his coffee. He was...alert. That was the best way to describe him; back straight, a slight tension in every line of his body, his eyes never still. She almost thought she could see a pair of ears twitching on his head, he reminded her so much of a watching animal.

"Jaune, we're fine," she told him drowsily. "It's Beacon, we're safe here."

Jaune didn't respond, other than taking another drink as the girl beside him began to drift off properly. His Aura had been running in the background ever since they had both left the infirmary, spreading its power thin in the space surrounding him. Manipulating one's Aura, particularly forming shapes with it, was a very advanced skill – and one that he had never been able to get the hang of, despite trying.

What he _could_ manage, though, was changing its size and regulating its power. By generating only so much energy, and then having it grow, the light became unnoticeable, while still feeding information back to him. It had its limits, but if so much as a mosquito flew within a five metre radius of his body, he would know about it.

It didn't really work on people, he had discovered – he couldn't be sure, but considering that he got their general shape but nothing else about them, he assumed that their Aura was probably stopping his from suffusing them like it did just about everything else.

To him, it was a security measure – something to back up his other senses. But at that time, for his younger friend, it was the equivalent of having a warm blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Jaune's Aura was being used with the intent of keeping her safe, and that intent worked just as well as her drink to finally calm her racing mind.

The brunette's breathing evened out in barely a minute; the cafeteria was nearly silent, with only a vague murmur from a conversing duo further down the table. Everyone else was alone, save for Jaune and Ruby, either doing much the same as the girl or working to finish their various projects away from disruptive dorm-mates or other annoyances.

The blond returned the way they had come after finishing his coffee, Ruby secured gently to his back to ensure there were no issues getting her through the corridors. He arrived back at the infirmary, and the other shadowy figure took his barely-noticeable burden in its arms, before laying her back on the bed where she had started, now sleeping properly.

Jaune returned to his place by the window, hidden in the deeper shadows formed by the silvery light pouring through the glass, while Yang kept her vigil by the door, neither blonde moving more than was necessary to prevent their limbs from being negatively impacted in case of necessity.

They would catch their sleep later; at the moment, their time was better used like this.

* * *

Ren and Nora were the next to wake. The martial artist went from unconsciousness to complete attention in two seconds, switching gears and rising silently from the bed. Nora was equally quiet, completely lacking her normal morning cheer – though she did send her leader a smile and a wave when she noticed him.

The sun had risen some three or four hours previous, and the others were still resting. Ren moved to his leader, taking in the almost invisible fatigue he showed. "Have you eaten?" He asked simply, voice barely carrying the distance between his mouth and the other teen's ears. Jaune shook his head once, and the brunet nodded. "Take Xiao-Long and go do so. Nora and I will substitute until you return."

Blue eyes darted around Ren's face, the mind behind them working to divine the meaning of the expression there. Then a single curt nod was returned, before the teen crossed to his counterpart, murmuring in her ear. Lilac eyes did much the same as blue, searching Nora's steady gaze, before the other blonde rose and followed her male counterpart out the door.

Ren settled into the same position his leader had occupied, Nora doing the same for Yang, and both exchanged glances. They communicated a great deal in an instant; appreciation of the trust which had been placed in them, slight amusement at the similarity between the two blondes, understanding of what their actions meant for the partners and the other members of their group.

Then they simply turned back to watching over Ruby, Blake, Weiss and Pyrrha.

The martial artist had assumed that Ruby would be the next awake, based on how she turned and grimaced slightly; however, almost a second after Jaune re-entered the room, she settled. _That_ was interesting, and as he glanced over at Nora he knew she had noticed it too – the mischievous look in her eyes could have equalled any of Xiao-Long's.

The partners headed out to the cafeteria, sharing inane conversation as they usually did. Really, this was their version of a comfortable silence; Nora didn't like silence, didn't like being quiet. Ren preferred it, but his life more or less revolved around the girl at his side, so he learned to find a similar comfort in meaningless speech. It was like listening to the wind, or to a stream, he had found was the best comparison; just background noise.

By the time he and Nora had returned, having returned to the dorm in order to shower, remove their battle attire (though their weapons remained at their sides) and put on something a bit more comfortable for everyday use, then eat their fill in the cafeteria, the others remained asleep.

* * *

Blake and Pyrrha were the next two to wake, though the redhead had a good fifteen minute head-start on the brunette. She had immediately found her leader, sitting upright and alert by the window, and after spotting Yang doing almost the same thing and the other half of her team sitting together on one bed, one bobbing her head to music while the other read, her eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion. Still, she got up carefully, and at Ren's recommendation she headed out to perform the same series of actions.

She passed the recently risen Blake on the way back in, the faunus having calmly noted the deceptively casual positions of RN and the obvious attentiveness of the blonde duo. She offered both of them nods, getting a return of the gesture from Jaune and a wink from Yang, before becoming the fourth member of the group to get ready for the day.

She, like Ren, chose to return with a book; Pyrrha had snagged her weapon-care kit instead, and had set to caring for Miló. The only constant was that they were all quiet. The redhead's cloth glided across the metal like a whisper, while the turning of pages was more like quiet breathing. Nora's headphones didn't leak a single note.

* * *

When Weiss came awake, she immediately sat up, looking around quickly and blearily. Spotting the various people sitting around the room, she opened her mouth to speak – but an almost simultaneous raising of fingers to lips by all save Jaune curtailed her words before they formed. When those fingers indicated the still-sleeping girl on the next bed over, ice-blue eyes softened slightly.

With a rush of breath that wouldn't have lifted a sheet of paper, the heiress shifted her gaze to her hand. Unwrapping the bandage there, she ran her eyes over the skin; flexing her fingers as she did so.

There was an ever-so-faint silver line where the flesh had once split, but whatever tension it might have caused didn't seem to affect her movement. Still, she grimaced and closed her eyes and fist. Another mark. Another _imperfection_.

A strong hand on her shoulder startled her from her thoughts, as Yang gestured that she should rise. Blinking a few times, Weiss did just that, grimacing slightly once again as her boots clicked on the linoleum.

The blonde led her to the door, not speaking until the portal closed behind them. Then, she turned back to her teammate, a tiny smile off-setting her serious expression. "Good to see you're up, sleeping beauty."

Weiss very nearly rolled her eyes. "Yes, well. No Schnee would allow such a minor injury to constrain them." She told the brawler, though judging by the way the grin widened she might not have managed to keep her mask properly in place.

"Good to hear it!" The blonde declared, clapping one hand on her shoulder – more gently than usual, though. "Now then," Yang declared, rubbing her hands together, "let's go get you cleaned up before you get some breakfast, shall we?"

The heiress was fairly sure she wasn't getting a choice in the matter, but before they headed off, Yang ducked back into the room for a few seconds. When she returned, it was with a familiar length of metal in her hands, which quickly found its way into Weiss' arms.

If the brawler found anything strange in how close she held the weapon, or in the breath of relief that its presence heralded, she didn't say anything. Of course, that made sense when she thought about it – after all, this was Ruby's elder sister; for all that she acknowledged Ruby as her leader, the girl's tendency to speak with her weapon while cleaning it was...ever so slightly worrying.

* * *

When noon rolled around and Ruby still hadn't awoken, people started getting a bit touchy. Blake and Weiss both sent looks in the girl's direction, growing more frequent as time went by, flickers of concern breaking them away from their book and their homework respectively. Ren and Nora weren't quite so bad, but the ginger in particular boasted a tiny frown whenever her gaze ran over the younger girl.

Yang was the most tense, squeezing her own biceps as she folded her arms, her eyes barely leaving the slumbering figure in red and black. Meanwhile, no one was quite sure what Jaune was thinking; true, his gaze never once left the other leader, but his expression was so nebulous that pinning down any one meaning was an exercise in futility.

When it turned one o'clock, everyone had eaten lunch and Jaune had finally got himself clean, though he had only changed into another copy of the same outfit. Yet, Ruby hadn't woken. Weiss had held a whispered conversation with Yang, then headed off to find a nurse. The woman had told them in hushed tones that Ruby seemed fine, and would probably wake soon enough.

They finally chose to act at two o'clock, when Jaune rose to his feet and advanced on Ruby's bed. He glanced over at Yang, who nodded at him, then knelt down and put out one hand to shake the girl's shoulder gently. If she woke, fine; if she remained asleep, they would drop it.

Option number three, apparently, was the brunette grabbing the hand as soon as it was within arm's reach and then pulling. _Hard_.

At that point, Jaune gained a whole new respect for his younger friend; he should have remembered she was entirely capable of holding Crescent Rose one-handed, but for all his reactions he ended up trapped on the bed as his friend latched on to his back.

He froze in place instantly, only moving his eyes as he caught Yang's gaze. He wasn't very good at communicating without words, although he knew it was possible, but he did realise that the brawler was still torn – apparently, between bursting with laughter or intervening.

He mouthed the words 'what do I do', and Yang pulled herself together as she moved over to help. A quick glance around the room showed a frowning Pyrrha, Blake with one eyebrow quirked, Weiss looking on in slightly disbelieving disapproval, a positively giddy Nora and...something he didn't recognise on Ren.

As it happened, that was nostalgia; the martial artist could feel his partner shaking slightly with laughter, and knew that he wasn't the only one drawing parallels as Ruby's older sister reached the bed.

The first thing the brawler tried was gently disengaging the brunette's hands and arms from where they had wrapped around Jaune's torso; that plan met almost instant failure as the younger girl simply tightened her hold the moment Yang tried to loosen it, to the point where it actually started to get difficult for JNPR's leader to breathe.

Plan B was waking the girl – however, Yang hesitated, obviously unsure whether or not it would be a good idea. Not knowing this himself, Jaune decided to attempt the same thing – so, he cleared his throat. "Ruby?"

A vague murmur answered his query, and he tried again with a bit more volume. "Ruby?"

More murmurs, this time accompanied with some movement which included a tightening of her arms.

Yang frowned slightly, then leaned down with a glint in her eye, placing one hand on her sister's shoulder while taking in a breath. "Ruby, Zwei brought a Beowolf home again!"

Whether it was from the subject, the person speaking, the contact or the volume the brunette snapped awake, attempting to roll away and get to her feet. Instead, she completely failed to anticipate the extra weight on her arm, ironic considering she had placed it there herself, and jerked around for a moment before 'awake' became 'conscious'.

"Yang?" She asked, yawning widely and then frowning when she realised she could only stretch one arm.

"Good afternoon sis," the brawler replied, searching the younger girl's face for any sign of fatigue or injury. None seemed present, and she continued as Ruby looked down at her arm and discovered a familiar head of golden hair facing the other direction.

"If you wanted a hug that bad, you know you could have just asked?" Yang continued, the query more rhetorical than serious as she watched the other girl's face start to change colour. "I mean, going for one in your sleep?" It was probably for the best that Ruby couldn't see the glint in her sister's eyes at that point. "You must have _really_ wanted it."

A squeak was her answer, and Jaune took the sudden lack of crushing pressure as his cue to disembark the bed. He made it this time, only to hear displaced air and turn to find that Ruby had been replaced with the white duvet she had been lying on top of the night before, now dusted with rose petals and rising over a rather obvious lump.

That was certainly new to him, though apparently not to Yang if her smile was any indication. "C'mon, sis – it's not like you proposed to him!" Another squeak, and with the confirmation that Ruby was conscious and apparently fine, Jaune reeled in his Aura.

As he did so, Ren and Blake both shifted slightly, glancing around in minor confusion. Their gazes settled on Jaune, who had let out a deep breath, and with a moment of rustling Ruby emerged from under the covers, looking around.

She ended up looking to Jaune as well, face tinged pink. "I'm sorry Jaune," she began, "I didn't mean to..."

The blond shook his head. "No...apology necessary, Ruby." He frowned for a moment, looking for a phrase he'd heard used quite often. "No harm done." He concluded, smiling to himself as his memory provided the answer.

The brunette didn't calm down very much. "Not just for now, but last night too – I mean, you must have had to get me back here..."

Jaune just shrugged. "Not a problem." Another phrase he was getting to use quite often now.

His cobalt gaze shifted over his various friends, assuring himself that they were all well and accounted for. When his visual sweep was complete, he moved over to the window and grabbed Luna Machaera from where it and its belt leaned against the wall by his former seat.

Turning back to the room, he buckled it on. "I am...heading out for...some time." He informed them, prompting quite a few narrowed eyes as he made for the door.

"I'll come with you," Pyrrha offered, standing as Akoúo̱ drifted over to her from where it had been leaning against the frame of the bed. Eyes narrowed further when the blond shook his head.

"I will go...alone," he told her, not offering any further explanation as he moved through the door. The redhead was right on his heels, Yang moving to follow her, but by the time they re-opened the portal he'd vanished.

A dangerous glint in her eyes, Jaune's partner glanced over at Ren and Nora, both of whom had already grabbed their weapons. Then she looked over at Yang, who was glancing between the door and her little sister, biting her lip as the confused brunette looked to her other teammates, both of whom were narrow-eyed.

"We'll go get him." The redhead told her simply, heading out the door at a jog, followed by the other dual-sex partnership in their group. The door closed behind them, and Ruby asked the obvious question.

"Where did Jaune go?"

* * *

The Forest was quiet.

As he flickered through its leafy corridors and whispered across its gnarled roots, Jaune's senses fed him all the information he needed to navigate, and he took notice of the abnormally low level of background noise.

Now that he was paying attention, he could feel the pressure in the air; his missing it before was an unforgivable failure on his part. He had placed the others in danger with that outing, and that danger hadn't yet passed.

He hadn't bothered with launching himself off the cliff; he'd just swung let himself fall most of the way before digging his fingers into the rock, slowing his descent enough to roll away the momentum at its foot. Now he was listening, looking, his Aura spread as wide as he could manage it as he searched for-

 _There._

The unmistakable pressure, emanating from nearby. He changed course, moving straight for it, feeling the sensation grow with every step closer. Bursting from the tree-line, he examined his target.

The cave. The one from Initiation, which had been the nest for a Deathstalker. Now, something far worse had taken up residence – and as he continued his charge, the malevolent intelligence it contained became suddenly aware of him.

Shrieks, roars, and cries of almost every tone in between echoed from the dark opening in the cliff as all its contained monstrosities received a command simultaneously.

 _Defend._

As Luna Machaera sprung from its sheathe, Malleus Accudo already transforming as a Dust round found its way into the firing chamber, Jaune allowed his face to break out into a feral smile.

This was his element. This was where he was comfortable. Being around the girls was...almost intoxicating, after so long away from other people. Being with Qrow, Glynda and Ozpin was similar in some ways, but around RWBY and JNPR he felt like he could spend eternity just enjoying their presence.

But still, he hadn't quite settled yet.

He wasn't used to peace. He wasn't entirely sure he understood the concept of _not_ needing to fight anymore. Whether it was Grimm, the Corrupted or his fellow man, the teen was sure that there would always be another enemy to confront, another obstacle that needed to be battered aside.

Sitting in classes, trying to understand Professor Oobleck, hearing Professor Port's stories, working to try and approximate normal speech...it had all changed so _quickly_ , and he wondered if it might not change again just as abruptly.

It was a fear that he didn't wish to acknowledge, but it existed. He couldn't be entirely sure he wasn't dreaming everything, or that he had finally bitten off more than he could chew and was even now breathing his last out in the wastes.

He couldn't be sure...but with this? With an enemy in front of him, a purpose in his mind?

 _This_ , he could be sure of.

The first target he reached was a Hellhound. Predictable; they were among the speedier of the monsters which could be transmogrified in the forest – at least, based on his knowledge of its Grimm population.

He flashed past it, as well as the four behind it, without missing a step or blinking – by the time he met an Ogre's face with his two feet, driving Luna between them and into the beast's forehead, their heads had only just begun to slide from their shoulders.

The monster he was atop, whose ability to stand at full height enlightened Jaune as to the unexpected size of the cave he had just entered, toppled like a tree as he rode it down. His blade came free instantly, and he pushed forward the moment they hit the ground.

The next Hellhound came at him, swinging for his head, and lost its arm. That was sufficient; its ability to retain its form would be too compromised for continued combat, and would eventually lead to its decomposition.

He slid across the rocky floor when the next leapt, opening its chest from trachea to groin as he went, before spinning around and relinquishing another beast of its hind legs. Springing to his feet revealed a charging Ogre attempting to sandwich him between it and the wall; he shifted aside at the last moment, drove Luna through its armpit and into its core, before moving on and leaving it to die properly this time.

He met proper resistance now, instead of outliers. A storm of pinions approached, the payload of a hovering cloud which had once been Nevermores. Now they were Furies, with twice the wingspan to support the denser cores of their feathers – cores which now filled the air before him.

Too many to effectively out-manoeuvre, yet easier to deal with than those of the Giant Nevermore. Though his Aura wouldn't block them, Malleus' toughened composite material was more than enough to stop them as Jaune brandished it before him, knocking aside a small corridor for his passage and continuing his charge.

Gravity failed to constrain the teen as he leapt, reaching the height of the feathered cloud near-instantly without being in danger of colliding with the ceiling. A quick, expert show of gymnastics had him spinning like a top, silver arcs flashing in the gloom as the sphere of space around him came alive with steel.

Seconds later, Jaune fell among a rain of corpses, leaving only a handful of the creatures yet in the air. Before they could mount another barrage, he ricocheted from the floor upon landing, reaching a wall and immediately kicking up and off, creating a parabolic flight path which passed all the remaining Furies.

They were bisected in argent fury, and Jaune was gone before their remains touched the floor.

The next line of defence was composed of mixed Hellhounds and Ogres, much as the previous day's horde had been. They tended to operate well together, the bulky figures of the Corrupted Ursai crushing anything left behind by the blitzkrieg tide of teeth and claws from the canine facimiles.

Jaune broke their line like a child through a spider web, clotheslining one Ogre with Malleus and crushing its throat and spine on the left, while his right hand operated entirely independently and separated its neighbour's head from its shoulder.

A low hum heralded the discharge of the gauntlet's Dust round, and immediately the line of Ogres to the warrior were blown apart in the diagonal path between the weapon and the lower edge of the corridor-like cave.

Several Hellhounds were caught in the shockwave and fell also, but Jaune had already moved on, digging Luna into the headless Ogre's falling corpse to use as a lever and launch himself at the mostly-intact right hand side of the defence, remaining in the air as he fell on them.

The bulky monsters attempted to swat him from the air, but when an arm came close he wrapped his own around it, spinning beneath the attempt and hanging there like a monkey. A second later, Luna burst from that particular monster's back directly where its core had been, and began to fall forward.

Taking a leaf from Port's book, Jaune spun, using his hold on the corpse's arms and its momentum from the fall to lift it and perform a full rotation. A half second later, the massive bulk crashed into the approaching group of Hellhounds, shattering their stony bodies and carrying two other Ogres to the ground when the now-released mass collided with them.

That would probably have snapped their rocky bones. The blond teen which followed definitely did.

One's head exploded like a melon around a hammer-blow from Malleus. The other ceased to move after Luna buried itself several inches in its eye-socket.

That left a half-dozen Hellhounds converging on him from either side, which suited Jaune just fine. They were easily predictable, leaping at him as soon as they were within optimal range. He knew exactly how their flight patterns would go, and intercepted each one with ease, perfectly timed slashes opening their throats to the outside world.

A half-dozen corpses fell to the ground and began to smoke and burn as the blond turned back towards the dark end of the cave and started to run once more, leaving a trail of ashes behind him as the sun grew ever more distant.

* * *

Pyrrha Nikos was of a rather split mind. She was relieved, vaguely pleased, disbelieving, angry and...well, angri _er._

The only part of her which was currently properly focussed was the part which assigned blame – because this was _entirely_ her leader's fault.

On the one hand, he had rather unequivocally proven that he outstripped any of their combat strengths. Hell, probably _all_ of their combat strengths _combined_. And that was a relief, because whatever doubts she might have had about her partner's odds of treating her normally had been laid to rest. People idolised her for her combat prowess, but the blond teen was leagues beyond even her – he had no reason to hold her up like that, and so, relief.

He had _also_ , apparently, spent the night holding vigil over the rest of them. That was contentious in and of itself, since that implied that he might not have slept at all – but it _did_ show he cared, that he was taking his responsibility as a team leader seriously.

Or rather, it seemed to. Because as soon as he was assured they were okay, he had just up and left – taking his weapon with him. It didn't take a genius to realise what he was going out to do; he was going back out there, in some misguided attempt to ensure their safety by dealing with the threat.

And that was good, in some ways – a natural inclination to protect was just one of the things about Jaune that made him a pleasure to be around. But the thing was, they didn't _need_ his protection.

In those minutes of combat, they had only sustained one real injury; and Weiss could, really, have probably kept fighting using her Dust. She was probably the weakest of their melee combatants, but had still avoided any critical injuries. Their teamwork and their combined combat strength had kept them safe and on their feet, and he really should have realised that.

But, instead, he seemed to have decided that this was entirely his responsibility, and that the addition of others to the mission would just...impede him, somehow. Slow him down? Split his focus? Something like that.

It made her angry, to be dismissed like that. Did she like being an idol? No. Did she feel like she wanted, or even deserved, her title of the Goddess of Victory? _Hell_ no. But for a long time, she'd had very little else to define herself than her combat prowess, and she had allowed herself to be proud of what she could do, of the things she had accomplished.

That pride had been most assuredly stung, even though her logical mind said that Jaune wasn't trying to snub her like that. He was being overprotective, which fit him to a T, and she could hardly blame him for it.

That didn't stop her from immediately storming to the Emerald Forest, implacable Ren and Nora in tow, and skimming Akoúo̱ across the air as it glowed with a black energy. She stepped onto the disk, gesturing for Ren to join her as she commanded Nora to place both hands on Magnhild and raise it above her head.

The duo followed her instructions, and while Pyrrha descended with Ren elevator style, Nora was suspended from her weapon and followed suit. The warrior gritted her teeth; holding three people aloft, even only buffering against gravity's strength, was taxing on her. She breathed a sigh of relief when they reached the ground, retrieving her shield as she looked into the shadows beneath the boughs and tried to think of where her leader might have gone.

Before she could reach a conclusion, Ren stepped forward, sharp magenta eyes scanning everywhere in a manner befitting of any apex raptor. "This way." Was all he said, after following some trail only he could see from the base of the cliff, through the grass and into the trees. He took off, Nora and Pyrrha in hot pursuit.

The martial artist moved with liquid grace, at home in the dappled light and natural surroundings. His companions were more like freight trains, unstoppable juggernauts which just _dared_ the world to get in their way as they beat a far more noticeable path in their teammate's wake.

Ren guided them for a good five minutes until they reached a rock-face, one which Pyrrha immediately recognised from her _last_ pursuit of Jaune. "Ren," she called forward, "I'll take point. Follow in my heels, Nora take the vanguard." Her instructions were terse, and the other two followed quickly.

Simple formation. As the most defensive combatant, she took the first slot. Ren, who could get in and out of combat quickly or provide close to mid-range fire support, went behind her where he could support her the easiest. Nora, with her long-range artillery, could lay down firepower safely from the rear, while also providing a solid melee defence of their rear.

They advanced that way, into the dark, and a moment's focus shifted her Aura into the visible spectrum. Crimson light spread across their path, and as they jogged forward cautiously it highlighted piles of an ashy substance that she recognised as the remains of yesterday's opponents.

Grimacing, she upped the pace a bit; Jaune was well ahead of them, and she felt like they could sacrifice some of their caution in exchange for catching up with him.

Whether she was going to thank him, punch him or drag him back by his ear she wasn't sure.

Maybe she'd just do all of them.

* * *

He was close now.

As he tread silently across the stone, the area getting warm as he headed deeper and deeper underground, Jaune felt the pressure ramping up in degrees of magnitude. The source was drawing nearer, and it was making more and more of an effort to turn him back.

His rather disturbing smile just widened. His will was far too powerful for the likes of this to stop him.

Finally, he reached the end of the corridor, and emerged into a cavernous space. It was just about as large as the entire sparring hall at Beacon, and right at the centre was his quarry.

A twenty-strong pack of Hellhounds and about a dozen Ogres stood protectively between it and him, while coiled up behind its form was the towering length of what had once been a King Taijitu. Now? Its once-white scales had darkened to a colour like soot, while the head which was there was now little more than a strangely-shaped club.

The Corrupted were all of one mind, a hive based around their source. Not even the tiniest hint of individuality existed; as a result, the great serpent's twin minds were subsumed into one, leaving a single true head and the remnants of a skull and jaw on its tail.

It hissed menacingly, its eyes shining a bloody light in the pitch black, the source of his name for these. Basilisks.

Still, his gaze was not for it. Nor was it for the phalanx of monsters which even now prepared for a pre-emptive strike.

Instead, his eyes bored into the thing which controlled them.

These were, perhaps, the truest example of the Corrupted's nature. The things which showed the depth of their depravity, of the lengths to which they perverted natural order.

For the burning, hellfire eyes which stared back at him from a face of corpse-white, highlighted by pulsing veins in shades of flickering yellow and crimson, had been a woman once.

She couldn't have been very old. Perhaps between her twenties and thirties. The clumped, matted mane which might once have been well-maintained more closely resembled fur, or perhaps fungus, than human follicles. Her eyes were sunken, the spheres of her soul's windows replaced with nothing but flame. She was bone-thin, adding to the corpse-like image.

This was what the Corruption could do to a person; this was why it was better to die than to surrender to it.

This was his reason for existing.

Another Dust round slotted into Malleus Accudo, and then he was off in a blur of shadow and wind.

The first Hellhound to leap at him got clotheslined, Jaune using his left arm to pull himself around until he was standing on its back, crushing its throat as he went. He moved into a backflip, using the monster as a platform to put himself in the air above the group, head-down.

He fell on them like a bolt of lightning, driving Malleus into the junction between base of skull and spinal column on an Ogre. It shattered, and Jaune casually disregarded any human limitation on his strength-to-weight ratio by spinning around his singular point of suspension to lash out with Luna, bisecting the heads of the Ogres on either side of him.

A flex of his left arm had him airborne once more, just in time for five Hellhounds to take up the space he'd just been occupying. Once more he fell, once more silver metal arced in the light from the Basilisk's eyes, and the canine monstrosities fell apart in a shower around the descending warrior.

As soon as he touched down, Jaune was on the move once more, removing an Ogre's leg and shoulder-checking it into falling down on two Hellhounds. A forward flip terminated in a heel-strike to finish one Hellhound, a hammer-blow with Malleus to the other, and Luna sliding into the larger monster's head like a key into a lock.-

The teen rolled backwards immediately, flipping back onto his feet and then launching himself vertically as the air to either side of him rippled dangerously. An Ogre's massive arms crashed together where he'd been standing, and he came to rest standing atop the clasped appendages. Luna Machaera flickered into the gap between his left arm and his body, and found lodging in the monster's eye socket.

Its falling body was another launch platform, and the blond once more wrapped his left arm around a monster's throat. Professor Port had been right – the lariat _was_ an incredibly well-rounded technique. He'd be sure to mention it to the man later...

But for now, his momentum had spun him around and placed his heels on the Ogre's back while his arm was around its throat. Jaune kicked off, sending the creature stumbling forward without releasing his choke-hold, but allowing his body to swing back down and deliver twin kicks to the backs of its knees.

The monolith of rocky muscle and hate toppled backwards, Jaune flipping forward over its head and stabbing Luna through its skull as he went, crushing another two charging Hellhounds beneath the monster's bulk.

The creatures were attempting to coordinate, but he didn't give them a chance; he was everywhere, flying through the air and across the ground, using monsters as launch platforms and never staying in the same position for more than a second.

The six remaining Ogres and ten Hellhounds backed off a bit, before spreading out. So, they wanted to take away his ability to shield himself using their bodies?

In the red light of the Basilisk's gaze, Jaune's teeth appeared blood-stained when he smiled.

They had miscalculated.

He charged forward once more, meeting a Hellhound faster than even its supernatural reflexes were capable of recognising. Malleus Accudo sailed forward, crashing through the underside of its skull hard enough to embed his arm up to the elbow in its body – exactly as planned.

With a grunt of effort Jaune leaned backwards, taking the body with him.

One impromptu shield acquired, a la Peter Port.

The remaining Hellhounds charged in two waves, one of four and one of five, the larger following the smaller. They surrounded him, then approached from as many directions as possible, only two leaping at a time to try and minimise any overlap. It was a far more effective approach than might have been expected otherwise...

It still wasn't anywhere near enough.

One of the leaping canines met the body of its former comrade, and found itself unable to get past it to reach the prey beyond. Meanwhile, the other tasted steel for a moment before the blade cleared its palate and reached the brain. It finished its arc, and Jaune pushed his foot under its corpse before kicking it towards one of the incoming monsters.

As it was distracted, he spun, Luna Machaera carving a crescent in the air and the throat of another leaping monster, then rearing back and stabbing forward through his impromptu shield, lodging in the other creature beyond.

He retrieved his arm from the corpse, not bothering to shake off the ash and semi-molten, partially-organic stone substance that formed most of the body. Instead, he dropped low, beneath the last of the first wave as it flew overhead. He thrust his blade upwards, and the monster opened itself up from chest to groin as it passed.

The next five didn't bother surrounding him. Instead, they came in a wedge, an arrowhead that charged to meet him head-on. As the leader reached him, the two rearmost runners leaped forwards at him, while the leader's wingmen went to circle and attack from the rear. Another above-average tactic; this Seed learned quickly, apparently. He wondered who they had been, for such a desecrated shade of their existence to possess an intuitive knowledge of strategy.

Unfortunately, it didn't truly matter. Whoever they had been, they were as dead as the creatures which attacked him.

Another person he hadn't managed to save.

The mere thought made him angry, and he snarled as he snapped a kick up into the base of the Hellhound's jaw, the concussive force destroying most of its skull and lifting the corpse into the path of the two incoming monsters.

As they tried to check their leaps, Jaune reversed his grip on Luna Machaera and spun in a full circle with such speed a minor cyclone twisted away from him. His gauntleted arm met the skulls of the leapers, sending their equivalent of bones tearing through the matter they were meant to protect, shredding the monsters and leaving them dying. At the same time, Luna Machaera flowed like water through the rapidly-approaching forms of the last two Hellhounds.

They slumped to the ground just as the three corpses of its compatriots did.

Canines dispatched, the teen turned on to his next quarry. The remaining Ogres were all sprinting at him as best they could, which wasn't great, arms spread wide. Three of them were going high, three were going low. An attempt to limit his options, prevent him from simply jumping at them or sliding beneath them?

No matter.

He met their charge and Luna removed the grasping arms of his chosen target as they quested for him. His body followed the direction of the slash, twisting him into a kick to the monster's side that shattered its armour and rib cage before launching it into its compatriot, sending both to the ground and disrupting the formation.

Completing his turn, the blond rammed his weapon through the next Ogre's chest before it had time to turn, destroying the core before retrieving the blade and running past, using the low-aimed arms of the last in line as a step to uppercut it with Malleus Accudo, effectively ending it when the skull nearly pulled the spine from its body.

Three remained, discounting the one whose arms he'd removed. Jaune turned around and charged once more, snarling. Only two of them were on their feet, as the last was trapped beneath its comrade's thrashing corpse. Those two stuck close together, leaping forward together with arms raised above and below – a pot waiting to close.

Still not enough. Not strong enough, not fast enough, not tough enough.

 _Not enough_.

Luna sang and the pot fell apart, its constituent limbs rendered into separate entities as the weapon's wielder passed through the space between the two monsters' necks.

He landed behind them and stalked over to the trapped Ogre, sneering as he easily avoided its attempts to grab him as he approached and sheathing his sword in the stone floor behind its head by dint of its eye socket.

As he did so, the two Ogres behind him finally collapsed, their heads sliding free.

No more Hellhounds. No more Ogres. Only the Basilisk, and the deceptively human figure it was coiled around as it hissed in Jaune's direction.

He snarled right back, and began to run forward.

To its credit, this Seed had made a fantastic creature compared to what he might have expected considering the Grimm it had available to work with. Luna bit deep in the serpent's flesh, but was unable to find anything vital, and the monster never remained still long enough for the blond to try and identify such a spot.

Its tail came down again and again, so rapid-fire it might have sounded like rain if it weren't for the way the cavern shook with every strike. When its wasn't the clubbing weapon, fangs the length of Jaune's legs were trying to catch him, the head darting forward at speeds which should have been impossible for such a large, armoured creature.

Its eyes never lost track of him, those bloody lanterns lit from behind by ungodly fires. That was its undoing in the end; Jaune rapidly flitted backwards, crossing a good quarter of the cavern in backsteps so quick he seemed to teleport from one spot to another in rapid sequence. The great serpent followed, extending its body and opening its mouth – and giving him his opening.

There was a low hum, and then the Basilisk's form erupted for the entire length of its body, the projectile rendering everything within down to slush before bursting from its tail in an explosive shower of bone shrapnel and embedding itself in the wall, where a crater a good metre across formed.

The light went out and the great corpse collapsed.

That left only two. Jaune, and the Seed.

He approached it at a walk. That was the thing about Seeds; for all their ability to turn Grimm, and to command the Corrupted they sired, they had no combat abilities of their own.

Perhaps that was a defence in and of itself; a way of attempting to appear defenceless, innocent, an attempt to lull a warrior into a false sense of security.

It might have worked on him, years ago. But not now. Not when he'd ended more of these than he could count, had heard the horror stories of what happened to Huntsmen who let their guards down around such creatures.

No. Instead, the cavern came alight with a pure luminescence, the white light of Jaune's soul brightening the bowels of Remnant and coiling around Luna Machaera, even as Malleus Accudo returned to being a bracer so as to allow the blond a second hand on his sword.

As he leaned forward, the creature's empty, burning eyes narrowed, a mouth full of sharpened and rotted teeth widening in a snarl to match any one of his – and then he _moved_ , and he was past it.

He left behind him a single strike, imbued with as much of his Aura as he could cram into his weapon and then deposit into the monster. No one was entirely sure if dispatching them in such a way actually had any kind of effect beyond the obvious...but he had always done it.

He didn't need to look behind him to know that the corpse had burst into white flames the moment he was past, and a quiet _thump_ heralded the point where they chewed through what remained of the body's nervous system, causing its limbs to cease operations.

His own Aura quietly retreated to within him, coiling around the seat of his soul. It warmed him, ready until it was called once again.

It took five minutes until the white light finally ceased, and he knew that all that remained was ash. Five minutes in which he didn't move, and simply stood with his head bowed, sword in hand, murmuring words that he and he alone might yet remember.

"O Dei in caelo, nomen sanctum tuum, tuum est regnum. Statera sicut supra et infra servetur. Ob actiones dimitte nobis hodie, et benedicet. Si est corruptela, in nomine Dei, ego percuteret eam. Quia tuum est regnum, et potestas, et gloria in saecula saeculorum. Amen."

Finally, with a subdued whisper, Luna Machaera slid home and Jaune turned around to make his return to the surface. He was going to need to speak with his friends again; hopefully, Pyrrha would be understanding-

"Jaune?"

…

Well, this wasn't good.

* * *

Pyrrha was honestly beginning to wonder if her partner was human.

Oh, it wasn't a matter of his personality or such. She could quite happily spend hours in the young man's company; he was kind of like a puppy. There was an earnest awkwardness to him, and a sunny disposition that refused to be quashed for long. His mood bruised easily, but recovered just as easily with friendship.

Yes, Jaune definitely reminded her of a puppy most of the time.

But after NPR had finally reached the end of the cave, following the trails of ash and the sounds of growling, roars and other noises, she was forced to conclude what she likely should have done when she witnessed his Semblance.

That puppy was a wolf. And he _knew_ it.

The kind of acrobatics he pulled off without effort she had only ever seen carried out by people like Ruby...well, actually, Ruby was by far the best example of it – using momentum and recoil in particular to direct movement and traverse the battlefield.

But Jaune didn't need a weapon; he _was_ a weapon. His raw strength and speed were enough to lay waste to his opposition, blade in hand or no. He went through everything in his path like a lightning bolt, flickering across space faster than her eyes could track in the darkness of the cavern and by the time she found him again, more enemies had already fallen.

When the Basilisk began lunging forward, they made to move forward and support their leader – but then the monstrous snake began raining blows that shook the ceiling, and suddenly Pyrrha found herself holding Akoúo̱ up to shelter her teammates from falling rocks, supported by Ren, whose hands were emitting gentle ripples of magenta light.

NPR watched from their protective umbrella as the snake tried to strike the flickering form of their leader, until it finally extended itself fully – and promptly exploded, falling dead. Pyrrha shook her head at that; she might need to speak with Coco herself about some upgrades for her equipment, if she could put together a weapon that did _that_ in just one night.

She thought that would be the end – that Jaune would turn around and head for the exit.

But then he turned, his indistinct form flaring into actinic brilliance as he readied a strike for – a woman?

In the few seconds she had, Pyrrha focussed her efforts on discerning details of the humanoid figure Jaune was preparing to charge – and sucked in a breath when she recognised the burning pits in its face in place of eyes.

Then Jaune flickered momentarily out of existence, reappearing in a classic 'finishing' stance. His target promptly burst into pure white flames, and the redhead watched, alongside her teammates, as more and more of the body became consumed by the fire.

It collapsed after only a minute or so, but it took four more before the light faded, and left nothing behind it but ash.

Pyrrha used those minutes to think rapidly about what to do, cautiously removing her shield from use as an umbrella as there was no longer a colossal monster attempting to bring the place down around their heads.

When Jaune finally turned around, she had a tentative plan of action, and she gestured for Ren and Nora to follow along as she headed to meet him. "Jaune?"

The teen's head snapped up, alarm writ large on his face. That turned rapidly to panic as she got closer, and the blond swallowed hard. "Pyrrha..." He replied, eyes flickering all over from what the light of her Aura revealed. "I..."

She cut him off by grabbing his shoulder, pulling him close into a one-armed hug. He stiffened with surprise, and she let out a long sigh. "You really worried me, you know that?"

Another wave of stiffness ran through the young man, before he relaxed. "I can...understand that."

The redhead retreated to arm's length, fixing a mildly disapproving look on her face. "You can understand, yet you didn't say where you were going? Didn't take any of us along? Didn't even take any of the Professors along?"

Jaune shuffled nervously, and she sighed once more. A part of her was petitioning her to guilt trip him into never leaving he- _them_ like that again, but she pushed it aside. Jaune was her partner; he needed someone he could rely on to stand by him, not someone who would try and put a leash on him.

"I am...sorry, Pyrrha."

She sighed once more. "I know you are, Jaune. Please, just think of us first next time?" When he nodded, she allowed a wan smile to grace her features. "Well, if you remember that, everything should be okay. Come on, let's head back; the others will be worried too."

As Ren clapped his leader twice on the shoulder before turning, Nora nodded rapidly, hugging Jaune herself as she did so. "Yup! You went and left Ruby without a pillow, so now you've got to go and make it up to her!"

Jaune blinked a couple of times, then abruptly went red as Ren coughed into his hand and Pyrrha missed a step. "Nora, that was...entirely an...accident!"

The hammer-wielder who had slipped her arms through his left and Ren's right snickered, nodding rapidly again. "Yup! She accidentally hugged you, she accidentally proposed, and she accidentally used you as a teddy bear – one of you must be really, really lucky!" Ren started coughing into his free hand again, while Pyrrha shook her head.

Jaune just turned scarlet, though it wasn't particularly obvious in the low-level glow from Pyrrha's Aura, and wondered where on Remnant this had come from all of a sudden. As if reading his mind, Ren glanced over at him; both of them stood head and shoulders above Nora, so it wasn't difficult. "The thing you should know about Nora, Jaune, is that she likes her friends to be happy. In fact, she likes it so much, she often goes to... _extraordinary_ lengths to ensure they're happy."

Oh, damn it. Jaune was sure this was another example of...what was the word? _Insinuation_ , that was it. Reading between the lines. Ren was trying to tell him something without just coming out and saying it; now if only he could figure out what...

* * *

As he watched his leader's brow furrow and his expression become one of deep thought, Ren shrugged to himself. If Jaune didn't figure it out, he'd just have to live with the consequences; though the odds of him protesting them were rather thin, if his experience offered anything.

* * *

JNPR's return to the school wasn't exactly a victory parade. They were all tired, having had to climb the cliff by hand; Jaune had offered to try and ferry them on his back, but Pyrrha had turned him down gently. The last thing she needed was another unintentional slight to her pride today; she was emotional enough as it was.

Nora had liked the idea of a piggy-back, but had decided that the better course of action would be to climb beside her 'Renny-bear' and encourage him. Jaune was unsure as the significance of adding a large mammal to Ren's name, but then again he'd yet to figure out why 'y's sometimes appeared on the end of peoples' names when Nora was in the vicinity.

One thing at a time.

Of course, that idea was promptly ruined when they were met at the dorms by Glynda Goodwitch, who was tapping her foot with her arms crossed, and a rather sheepish-looking team RWBY. Their young leader waved tentatively, and let out a nervous chuckle. "Ah...sorry."

Silver eyes shifted from the team in general to Jaune specifically, then promptly disappeared in a flurry of petals which reappeared in much closer proximity, the slight girl wrapping her arms around the taller blond. "Pyrrha's already told you not to do this again, right?"

Somewhat surprised, Jaune nodded; he didn't notice the sudden blinking Pyrrha underwent, as she shot Ren a look which asked 'am I really that predictable?'

As the martial artist winced in reply, Ruby squeezed her friend once more before backing off and punching him in the arm. "Good! Then I'll say it too; don't run off without us! Next time, I'm coming after you – and if I have to I'll...I'll...!"

Yang looked like she _really_ wanted to make a suggestion of some kind, but was trying to restrain herself in deference to the fact that it was _Ruby_ , and a boy that she might very well like...but, she needn't have bothered, as Nora spoke up. "Not let him out of bed!"

"There!" Ruby cried, pointing to Nora, who smiled innocently as Yang, Blake, Weiss and Pyrrha all turned shocked eyes on her, Ren buried his face in his hands, and Glynda's eyebrow twitched. Jaune just turned bright red as Ruby levelled her finger at him. "Next time, I'll drag you back and won't let you out of your bed!"

Yang joined Ren in hiding her face, while Glynda's eyebrow started twitching manically and Jaune wondered if he could spontaneously generate the ability to disperse into thin air. Unfortunately, though not for lack of effort on his part, it didn't work – even with the sudden burst of willpower he received when the emotional girl realised what she'd just said.

The sound she made was somewhere between a squeak and a whimper, and her face started turning crimson as Jaune raised his hands in defence. "I have got it! I will not run away again!"

Though she looked desperate to bolt, Ruby managed to focus her eyes somewhere in Jaune's general direction. "Well...good! Yes, very good! Now I'm just going to go and...do...stuff...overinthedormsgoodtohaveyoubackJauneseeya!"

Then there were rose petals and a distinct lack of Ruby, which lead to joint sighs from the rest of RWBY. Yang in particular shook her head, then moved over to Jaune and slapped him on the back of the head. "That was a dumb move, Charming. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were thinking we were the damsels in this little story." She leaned closer, and though the move might have appeared flirtatious, her expression was nothing but predatory. "But I must be wrong, mustn't I?"

Her fellow blonde gulped, nodding rapidly. "Of course, Yang."

The blonde nodded again, seemingly quite cheerful, even though the look in her eyes was bypassing all social cues in Jaune's brain and speaking directly to something far more primitive. "Good. Because Yang Xiao-Long is _no one's_ damsel. You got that?"

Rapid nodding from the other teen, and Yang returned to standing straight, mollified for the present. "Well, just remember what Ruby and Red have told ya. 'Cause I promise you, if you go and get yourself hurt and my little sis gets all torn up about it? I will wait for you to get better, I _will_ find you, and I _will_ break your legs so you can't get away from her again."

Jaune hoped she was joking. He really, really hoped she was joking.

Weiss and Blake didn't move up to him, but both radiated light disapproval. "Your actions were ill thought out and far from tactically sound," Weiss informed him. "Next time, please put more effort into considering your course of action."

Blake just nodded, echoing the sentiment, and Jaune bowed his head a bit. "I will do so, Weiss. I apologise for...causing trouble."

The two girls glanced at one another, then turned back and nodded as one. "Apology accepted. Take care in the future, Jaune; but welcome back for now."

With that, WBY went in search of their leader, leaving JNPR in the company of Glynda, who looked down on them with all the severity of a gathering thunderstorm. Her eyes were largely settled on Jaune however, who shifted uncomfortably, but made every effort to meet her eyes; he didn't want to disappoint her, and he hoped she'd give him a chance to explain.

She must have read something like that in his gaze, because her eyes softened ever-so-slightly, and she unfolded her arms. "The Headmaster asked me to bring you to his office when you returned; if you'll follow me, please."

The team fell in behind her, following obediently; three of them hoping for some answers, and one hoping to provide a few.

Jaune hoped he could convince Ozpin to let him talk with his team about these things, or even just talk with the man himself about them – one cell had already formed in his proximity, and this was likely just the beginning.

* * *

It had taken quite some time, to exit that labyrinth. To rise once more to the surface, to the very edge of the shadows which shrouded the place which had been its home for years now. The humanoid form stretched, joints cracking obscenely, as the being narrowed its eyes at the sunlight just feet away.

Not yet. It could not move in that light; not after so many years of dormancy. It would need time, time to grow stronger once more, time to adapt.

Then, it could go forth into the world, and it could finally finish the job it had started seven years before.

Teeth shone in the darkness, but no one would ever mistake the expression for a smile.

There was no joy.

There was no life.

There was no positivity.

There was only a promise – a promise of pain, of blood, of fire and death and suffering for all that came within sight of it.

And it was a promise that the being would do everything in its power to fulfil.

* * *

 **Translation**

O Dei in caelo, nomen sanctum tuum, tuum est regnum. Statera sicut supra et infra servetur. Ob actiones dimitte nobis hodie, et benedicet. Si est corruptela, in nomine Dei, ego percuteret eam. Quia tuum est regnum, et potestas, et gloria in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Oh, God in heaven, thy holy name, thine is the kingdom. Above and below, as the balance is to be maintained. On account of the actions of this day, forgive us, and bless them. If there is corruption, in the name of God, I will destroy it. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Well...this is awkward. Hello, again, everyone; it's been a while.**

 **And yes, it has been _quite_ some time between the last post and this one. I can blame a lot of things, but really it's been life in general. Everything from a lack of motivation to a flood of various homework and personal projects coupled with a house move that eats up a lot of spare time. Of all the things I need to do, Gloria kinda fell by the wayside, and this chapter's been done in stops and starts for quite a long time.**

 **Didn't help that I kept re-writing it either...**

 **So, this chapter yields more information on a few things. In the case of the 'Corrupted' as they have been termed for now, Jaune offers quite a lot of largely disconnected information which forms a basic web of understanding when cobbled together. Also, introducing Captain Nora, major stockholder in Remnant's shipping industry!**

 **It really just seemed to fit for me, so expect that to be a thing from now on.**

 **We're starting to get close to the point where I'll be skipping lengths of time in order to clear up nonessential things like lessons, Jaune's speech, training, and other stuff like that. So, fair warning.**

 **There have been some pretty incredible milestones since the last chapter went up; we broke the 1000 followers mark, which I never I'd see happen, while favourites is sitting pretty at 858. That's _massive_ ; so massive, in fact, that Gloria has reached halfway up the third page of _all English RWBY fics._ That is...insane, from my perspective, that this story has managed to get that far, up among works by authors like LaughingLefou and Couer Al'Aran (who, frankly, kick my ass all over the shop in terms of technical skill and pure talent). It makes me incredibly proud, and that's something I'm not used to. So, once again _thank you all_ for your patronage, and I hope I continue to earn it.**

 **And maybe we can break that 100,000 views counter – we're sitting at 97,151 at the moment~**

 *** wink wink, nudge nudge ***

 **Eh hem. Anyway.**

 **I hope you enjoyed reading this even partially as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you have any comments or criticism, please leave a review and I'll be sure to get back to you. Enjoy your day!**


	13. NOTICE OF REWRITE

Amidst the ticking of turning gears and the quiet murmur of students' voices rising from the courtyard, Ozpin leaned back in his seat, adding the tapping of a single finger on his desk to the background music of his day.

Across from him, a figure which was less of a figure and more the shadow of something that pressed down on existence like a lead weight on terminally strained rubber was standing, regarding him as he regarded it, giving him time to process.

"So to be clear," the Headmaster spoke up, "you represent the... _driving force_ behind existence."

THAT IS AS ACCURATE A DESCRIPTION OF MY ROLE AS CAN BE COMMUNICATED IN THIS FASHION.

"And you are here," he continued, "because that very same driving force has..." Adjusting his glasses, Ozpin shook his head. _"Lost the script to the future?"_

If it was at all possible for the suggestion of a hole in reality to look sheepish, Ozpin was the first human being to ever witness it.

IT IS PERHAPS MORE ACCURATE TO SAY THAT...THERE WAS AN INTERVENTION OF SORTS. INFORMATION CAME TO LIGHT WHICH BROUGHT ON QUESTIONING OF THE **PLAN** , ONE THING LED TO ANOTHER AND...WELL, SUFFICE TO SAY THAT THINGS DEVOLVED UNTIL WE REACHED THIS POINT.

Ozpin kept drumming his fingers. "...I see."

Taking a deep breath, the Headmaster steepled his fingers, leaning forward with his elbows on his desk. "And you have come to me for...?"

IT IS A COMMON PRACTICE IN THIS SITUATION FOR THE COURSE OF ACTION GOING FORWARD TO BE DECIDED BY A QUORUM. GIVEN YOUR... _NATURE_ , YOU HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS BODY.

Ozpin's eyes narrowed for a moment, but he nodded slowly. "I see...might I ask who else will be involved in this?"

THERE ARE...

The Messenger's suggestion of a hand flicked its wrist, producing what paper might look like if it had six dimensions and was presumably written upon by beings beyond the ken of all humanity.

NOT INCLUDING YOURSELF AND SEVERAL OTHERS FROM REMNANT ITSELF, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 1,420 INDIVIDUALS TO WHOM THIS NOTIFICATION WILL BE DELIVERED - AN AVERAGE OF TWO GROUPINGS.

"Less than two thousand individuals deciding the fate of all existence..." Ozpin muttered to himself, looking sharply over his glasses. "And you say that residents of Remnant itself are a minority in this call?"

The Messenger nodded.

YOUR REACTION TO THIS NEWS IS UNDERSTANDABLE. HOWEVER, IT IS SUFFICIENT TO SAY THAT WITHOUT THOSE INDIVIDUALS BEING NOTIFIED, THIS REALITY AS YOU KNOW IT WOULD NEVER HAVE GROWN SO FAR OR, PERHAPS, EVEN COME TO EXIST.

Holding the not-gaze of the Messenger for several moments more, Ozpin sighed and dropped his head a degree. "Very well then."

Pushing himself out of his chair, the old man retrieved his cane from where it had leaned against his seat, rising to his full height and walking around the desk. "Shall we go, then?"

THERE IS NO TIME QUITE LIKE THE PRESENT.

As they walked toward the doors to Beacon Tower's elevator, which Ozpin noticed were taking on several characteristics that were _not_ included in the original design as they got closer, the white-haired Huntsman idly spoke again. "So, who willl I recognise?"

The Messenger took on an...abruptly _shifty_ look.

WELL...

"Hello...Headmaster!"

"Hey, Headmaster-Professor-Ozpin-Sir!"

Ozpin and the Messenger paused in mid-step to look sideways, to where the bright-eyed figures of Jaune Arc and Nora Valkyrie were clambering out of a trapdoor in the office floor, each smiling brightly and apparently not at all questioning the mysteriously eldritch suggestion of an eight-foot tall humanoid standing beside their Headmaster.

Amber eyes turned a completely deadpan look on the Messenger, who gave a helpless shrug.

IT WOULD TAKE MORE THAN THE FOURTH WALL TO HOLD PEOPLE LIKE THEM.

* * *

 **GLORIA WILL RETURN IN A NEW STORY SOON - SO LOOK OUT FOR THE SPIRITUAL SUCCESSOR,**

 **'DEI GLORIA EST IN CORDE'**


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